Los Angeles Chargers drop crucial game in Jacksonville

Josh Lambo burns his former team with two late field goals.

You’ve heard this one before. The Los Angeles Chargers had the game won. That was the case again on Sunday, as the Chargers fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars by a final score of 20-17 in a game that went into overtime.

With the loss, the Chargers fall to 3-6 on the season and more importantly, drop another game in a close AFC playoff race. The Chargers outplayed the Jags in this game, particularly in the second half.

Undrafted rookie Austin Ekeler put together his best career performance, catching five passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 42 yards rushing. But with less than two minutes left in the game, after the first of Tre Boston’s two fourth-quarter interceptions, Ekeler was in the game rather than the starter Melvin Gordon. Ekeler took a carry on first down and fumbled the ball. Jacksonville picked the ball up and raced the other way for an apparent touchdown. Replay overturned the call, but the Jags had the ball back.

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However, the Chargers got the ball right back on another interception by Boston. This time, Gordon was in the game but on three consecutive runs, the Bolts couldn’t move the sticks. With all three timeouts in their pocket, the Jags were able to get the ball back.

With one final chance, Blake Bortles drove his team down the field and a horrible mistake by Joey Bosa, where he was called for roughing the passer, made Lambo’s game-tying field goal 15 yards closer.

In overtime, Jacksonville won the coin toss but Los Angeles was able to get a stop. On 3rd-and-9 from their own 11-yard line, Philip Rivers heaved a ball up for Travis Benjamin. The wide receiver made a good effort to get the ball, but Jacksonville defensive back A.J. Bouye came down with it. He returned it all the way to the Chargers’ 1-yard line. A penalty on Jacksonville backed them up another 15 yards, but Lambo was in prime position to win the game.

His kick was actually blocked by Adrian Phillips but in true Chargers fashion, it still went through the uprights. Another tough pill to swallow for a team that has had to do that many times over the last several years.

The Chargers head back home to take on the Buffalo Bills (5-4) next Sunday.