The Los Angeles Chargers won 12 regular season games in 2018, but did their luck have more to do with it than their talent?
The Los Angeles Chargers won a postseason game last year because of their talented roster and a creative coaching plan, but were they lucky to even be playing in Baltimore to begin with? Though it’s often better to be lucky than good, the Chargers, one of the NFL’s notoriously unlucky teams, had a supercharged amount of good fortune last year.
It’s not to say the entire year was lucky, because the embarrassing playoff loss was anything but that. But, the Chargers had a handful of breaks go their way:
- Baker Mayfield injures himself early on in Cleveland.
- Titans attempt a passing two-point conversion to win the game in London, and fail.
- Referees miss a false start to give Travis Benjamin a touchdown in Pittsburgh.
- Michael Badgley misses the first attempt at a game-winning field goal, but a Steelers offsides penalty gives him another chance (and then another).
- Chargers have a penalty and a review go their way in the final drive against the Kansas City Chiefs
Now, there’s no denying the other teams on this list were given lucky breaks as well. Earlier in the game against the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes had a drive extended three times by defensive penalties, none of which appeared to be worth a call and were even questioned by the live commentator.
The Chargers will need to be more than lucky, though, to advance in the playoffs. Unless they change their name to the New York Giants, the Chargers will not be able to keep up with the New England Patriots in the postseason. Though it’s tough for a fan to admit, the team may have won three or four games last year on pure luck alone. The Chargers could use some more good fortune in 2019, but it’s time for them to demolish teams and not hope for a miracle to save their season.