LA, be ready to Bolt up

(AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

Chris Dailey

Founder, The Sports Court

The Los Angeles Chargers are deemed for success in the 2021-2022 NFL season. It’s inevitable that a team who went 7-9, with 7 losses coming in one-possession games, will improve.

It’s also inevitable that a team with a rockstar young QB with a cannon for an arm and an amazing brain for the game, a decent coaching staff, and a star wide receiver, manage to make some noise next season.

The LA Chargers started the season with a 16-13 win over the Bengals. Tyrod Taylor, a veteran NFL QB, played unter center in that week 1 game. However, right before the week 2 clash with division rivals and defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, Tyrod Taylor’s lung was punctured in a freak medical accident and Justin Herbert learned that he was the starter during the opening kickoff.

Herbert led the Chargers and had an amazing performance, throwing for 311 yards and inspiring an incredible performance that saw the Chargers force the Chiefs to overtime in a narrow 23-20 loss.

Despite the loss, the Chargers realized they have found their guy. 

As the season progressed, Justin Herbert got better and better, setting rookie passing records for passing touchdowns (31) and completions (396). 

And despite having a record-setting QB, amazing wide receiver, and a great defense that includes the highest-paid defensive player of all-time, Joey Bosa, the Chargers finished 7-9.

This was due to poor coaching and time(out) management by ex head-coach Anthony Lynn. 

Lynn cost the Chargers on multiple occasions. For example, in a November showdown against the Bills, Lynn called a speed option on a 4th and 1 that resulted in the Chargers handing over possession back to the Bills. Many times throughout the season Lynn and the coaching staff’s calls in the backend of games would hold back the Chargers from winning.

Now with Lynn fired and young head coach, Brandon Staley, in, the Chargers are in a prime position to have a great season.

With the bulk of players returning and Justin Herbert only getting better, the Chargers are a team that is very likely to massively improve their record this year.

Staley, a defensive-minded coach who last served as the defensive coordinator for the Rams, was a QB at the University of Dayton.

Many talked as to why the Chargers didn’t hire Bills offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, who helped develop Josh Allen into one of the NFL’s premier QB’s, but many don’t realize that Staley himself was a college QB and could aid Herbert throughout his early years of quarterbacking in the big leagues. 

In sum, the Chargers are a scary good team that finally has a good coaching staff. The Bolts lost a lot of close ones last year, but this year, those games may just go the Chargers way. 

Be ready, Los Angeles.