Bolts in disbelief over loss: ‘Won it twice’ on field
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Los Angeles Chargers players were still in disbelief after losing a game in which officials signaled touchdown on the field twice for go-ahead scores in the final minute Sunday, only to have both calls overturned in a 23-20 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
It was the Chargers’ third straight loss.
“I’m going to tell y’all, I’ve never been in a ballgame like that before,” coach Anthony Lynn said. “When you go from feeling like your guys fought their ass off, which they did, and won the ballgame, and then lose it the way we lost it.”
Added tight end Hunter Henry: “On the field, we won it twice. We scored twice with 20 seconds left in the game and they called touchdown on the field. I looked at the sideline a few times like, ‘That’s the game.’ To have that happen toward the end is one of the craziest games I’ve ever been in.”
The Chargers initially thought they won the game with 39 seconds left when Philip Rivers connected with Austin Ekeler on an angle route for a 16-yard score. However, the call on the field was reversed when an official replay review ruled Ekeler’s arm holding the football had not crossed the goal line.
On first-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Melvin Gordon broke the plane and appeared to score, but left guard Dan Feeney was called for a false start, moving the ball back to the 6-yard line.
On the next play, Tennessee cornerback Malcolm Butler was called for pass interference on a fade route to Mike Williams, moving the ball back to first-and-goal from a yard out.
Running out of the shotgun, the Chargers gave it to Gordon again for a touchdown called on the field. However, official replay again overturned the call on the field.
On second-and-goal, Gordon once again got the nod, but lost the ball before he reached the goal line and Tennessee defensive tackle Jurrell Casey recovered to seal the game for the Titans.
“At the end we needed one yard to win this game, and we didn’t get it,” Lynn said. “You don’t get one yard, then you don’t deserve to win this damn game. That’s just the way it is. We needed one yard to win this game, and we let it slip out of our hands.”
The Chargers (2-5) have now turned the ball over five times in goal-to-go situations this season, including Gordon’s game-ending fumble, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That’s already tied for the most goal-to-go turnovers by a team in the past 15 seasons. Despite his team’s struggles, Joey Bosa, who finished with two sacks on the day, said he plans to keep grinding.
“I’m going to come in and work my ass off for the rest of the season,” Bosa said. “I can’t control anybody else. I know we have a lot of guys that want to win, and we’ll see who’s with me on Monday. You can find out who wants it pretty quick after a game like that.”