LA CHARGERS START CLEANING HOUSE
2023-12-17 · 2 min read · NFL/Football
Jonathan Hui/USA TODAY Sports | Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Head Coach Brandon Staley and General Manager Tom Telesco were fired by the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday morning after one of the worst losses in franchise history. It is the first time since 1998 that the Chargers have made an in-season coaching move. The Chargers made the playoffs last season but are one of this year's biggest disappointments at 5-9, with losses in five of their last six games. They dropped into last place in the AFC West after Thursday night's 63-21 loss against the Las Vegas Raiders. It was the most points allowed in franchise history and the 42-point margin the third-worst.
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The Chargers went 24-24 in Staley's three seasons at the helm, having a winning record in each of his first two seasons but bottoming out at 5-9 so far this season which many thoughts was a make-or-break year for Staley as the team's head coach. Under Staley, the Chargers finished with consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2017/2018. The Chargers also made the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and finished with just its second double-digit win season since 2009. Despite this and they 500 record, Staley was responsible for questionable clock management, over-aggressiveness, and in-game decisions that have cost his team wins. Staley, is the third NFL coach to be fired this season, joining Josh McDaniels of the Raiders and Carolina's Frank Reich. Telesco had been the general manager since 2013. The team only made three playoff appearances under his tenure and were 86-95 overall, do I need to say more?
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Personally, I have been waiting for this as Telesco has been their too long given his track record and Staley has made blunders at a consistently high rate some of my favourite are- insisting on calling the defence himself, making data-driven fourth-down decisions that, while have their moments, often put the defence in bad spots (like backed up on its own 25-yard line). Other good ones are Calling a timeout late in a game against the Raiders in which both teams simply needed a tie to clinch a playoff berth and lastly doubling down and keeping OC Joe Lombardi for a second season in which most of Herbert’s numbers, including touchdown passes, first downs achieved, yards per attempt and passing success rate, all declined. In short, I have been questioning his job security since at least last season and that was before their epic playoff collapse against Jacksonville. While it might hurt now it was time for the Chargers to make some changes; in fact, it's overdue.
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By: Chase Howard
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