Chargers Aiming to Shed Stigma, Eager to Leave "Chargering" Behind

The fact that there's a coined term is telling enough.

No matter how long you've been a Chargers fan either with San Diego or their recent Los Angeles iteration, the franchise seemingly has a pension for losing games after holding onto leads for most of the game year after year. 

Whether in the playoffs or the regular season, current head coach Brandon Staley knows that there's a stereotype for his team and that there's work to do in order to overcome such a narrative. 

"I resent the term. I reject it. None of us who are here are built like that. I don't bring anyone else in here who represents anything like that. When you look at all the strategic moves that we've been [part of] since I've been the head coach, it's the exact opposite. Now, you have to have a breakthrough together, for sure."

via Lindsey Thiry, ESPN.com

Victims of their own misdoing, the team squandered the largest playoff lead in NFL history to the Jaguars that's become an all too familiar scenario for fans of the team young and old. 

At least one player on the current roster agrees with Staley in that the narrative has been unfair on just the Bolts for losing games in such a fashion when it happens to every team each year. 

 "When you look at not winning the Super Bowl, yeah," Allen said when asked if they're "Chargering." "But that means 31 teams are 'Chargering' if that's the case. If you're not Tom Brady or Pat Mahomes, you're 'Chargering.'"



via Lindsey Thiry, ESPN.com

Despite all the leaguewide doubt, one legend from the team's past seems to think the team is headed on the right track. 

"It's going to take a little luck and a lot of hard work," Fouts said. "If they can get through the season, through that division into the playoffs, they'll be battle hardened and that'll help them in the playoffs, because the playoffs are a different story."



via Lindsey Thiry, ESPN.com

It remains to be seen whether or not this is the roster to finally get over the hump, but Justin Herbert and company will be eager to try bucking the trend in just a few weeks.