Brandon Staley: Chargers' 0-2 Start 'Has Nothing to Do With' Jaguars Playoff Loss

The Los Angeles Chargers have gotten off to a horrendous start in 2023.

After blowing a late lead against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, the Chargers once again failed to execute when it mattered most, as they fell to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

It's a concerning trend for an organization that has had a number of head-scratching losses over the last few years, including a historic playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars last season when they blew a 27-0 lead.

But head coach Brandon Staley doesn't believe that loss is plaguing his current squad.

"I'm not worried about the Jacksonville loss—the Jacksonville loss hasn't carried onto the season whatsoever," Staley said during his postgame press conference. "If you've seen our training camp or you've seen the way we've played in the first two games, it hasn't had an impact on our team whatsoever. Our team is connected, our team has played its heart out in two games, and we've lost two tough games. It has nothing to do with the Jacksonville game and if you ask anyone in our locker room, it has nothing to do with the Jacksonville game. And that's just the truth.

"It's a convenient storyline for you and for everybody else, but it's not the truth. We've lost two tough games, but the guys in that locker room, the men in that locker room, they are finishers, and they have what it takes, and we're excited to prove ourselves."

The Chargers' lack of late-game execution has been an ongoing theme for the last several seasons. They have a 21-10 record when having a lead at any point in the fourth quarter, which is the most such losses of any team in the league since the 2020 season when Justin Herbert took over as the starting signal caller.

They have also lost four consecutive one-score games dating back to 2022.

And with a squad that includes players like Herbert, Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen, Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa and Derwin James, among others, talent clearly isn't the issue.

People were calling for Staley to be fired following the team's loss to the Jaguars in the postseason. Instead, it was his offensive coaching staff that got the boot. However, his hot seat won't cool down anytime soon considering how Los Angeles has started this campaign

The Chargers had their opportunity to win Sunday but were forced to kick a late field goal to tie it, giving the Titans enough time to go down and knock through the game-winning field goal as the clock expired.

It'll be a battle of winless teams next week as the Chargers travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings.