The Diaspora Fan: Sunday night frights
By Ben Kaplan
It may not be Halloween yet, but it was downright scary on Sunday night in Los Angeles.
Do not let the 24-17 score fool or spook you. The Chargers put on as poor a performance as ever on the national TV stage against a 1-4 Pittsburgh Steelers team with a third-string quarterback.
Over the last two games, Chargers have been outscored 31-0 so far in the first half.
— Eric Williams (@eric_d_williams) October 14, 2019
While they technically were the “home” team, the Chargers looked to have anything but an advantage with thousands of terrible towels waving throughout the evening. Even the Steelers had their anthem played during the contest. It was “Heinz Field West” pretty much all night.
After two straight losses to teams that were a combined 1-8 when they played the Bolts, the Chargers are hearing the blame and criticism from everywhere. Coach, general manager, quarterback and everything in between.
While it is early in the season and a 2-4 record does not mean no playoffs, the Chargers demonstration on the national stage was disappointing, to say the least.
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These night or marquee game slots are few and far between. To have the chance to perform on them is more than just another game. The franchise gets national exposure and players get the chance to become possible household names.
Many forget, but Odell Beckham Jr.’s amazing catch occurred on Sunday Night Football. He became a star from that one play, even though the New York Giants ended up losing that game!
Sunday evening was filled with missed opportunities for budding stars like Joey Bosa, Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen to showcase why they should be talked about as some of the best at their positions. If anything, Sunday night showcased a sloppy, overwhelmed team that did too little too late to get it done.
The next national TV stage for the Chargers will be November 7th against the rival Oakland Raiders. The Bolts and all their players better come with more than they had this past Sunday.