Inside Chargers’ historic playoff meltdown vs. Jaguars: Brandon Staley’s suspect decisions, woeful offense

On Saturday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Los Angeles Chargers suffered the third-largest postseason collapse in NFL history. After leading, 27-0, at one point during the first half, the Chargers went home on the losing end of a humiliating 31-30 defeat. 

Only the 1992 Houston Oilers and 2013 Kansas City Chiefs blew larger playoff leads. 

The Chargers staked themselves to that 27-0 advantage by intercepting FOUR Trevor Lawrence passes in the first half. Lawrence was picked off by Drue Tranquill in the second play of the game, then by Asante Samuel Jr. on three of the Jaguars’ next five possessions. Los Angeles turned those four picks into 24 points, then added a field goal — which came courtesy of a muffed punt, and after Justin Herbert missed a wide-open Keenan Allen in the end zone for what should have been a surefire touchdown — to extend the lead to four scores with 4:25 remaining in the first half. 

Over the ensuing 34:25, the Chargers had five possessions (not including a kneel-down on the final play of the first half). The results of those possessions were as follows: 

• 3 plays, -1 yard, punt (1:22)
• 7 plays, 37 yards, punt (2:32)
• 7 plays, 45 yards, field goal (2:13)
• 14 plays, 58 yards, missed field goal (6:57)
• 3 plays, 5 yards, punt (2:16)

That’s a total of 144 yards on 34 plays (4.2 per play), which combined to take 15:27 off the clock and yield just three points. In the meantime, the Jaguars took five drives and went:

• 7 plays, 47 yards, touchdown (1:25)
• 14 plays, 89 yards, touchdown (7:17)
• 5 plays, 68 yards, touchdown (2:14)
• 9 plays, 70 yards, touchdown (3:22)
• 10 plays, 61 yards, field goal (3:09)

That’s 335 yards on 45 plays (7.4 per play), which combined to take 17:27 off the clock and yield 31 points. After he began the game 5 of 18 for 35 yards and four interceptions, Lawrence completed 23 of 29 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns, each to different receivers.