LA Chargers: Reasons for and against firing Anthony Lynn

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports – LA Chargers

Reason for: Anthony Lynn’s decision making

There is no sugar coating it no matter how much you like coach Lynn — his decision-making has been pretty bad this season.

Granted, most of the nuances of the playcalling are on the new offensive coordinator, Shane Steichen, and the playcalling has gotten much better as the season goes along. But when it comes to the decisions in key moments or the style of playcalling that Lynn imposes in certain situations… well… it has been bad.

In Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs the Chargers not only had awful playcalling in the red zone that led to a field goal instead of a touchdown but Lynn opted to punt on fourth and one on the first drive of overtime.

I get that they were in their own territory but you’re playing Patrick Mahomes. If you do not have a designed playcall to get one yard in that situation then, well, maybe you are a bad coach.

The Carolina loss was just bad all around from turnvoers. No knock on Lynn. In Tampa Bay, though, they decided to call a draw play on the last drive of the half that resulted in a fumble, an unnecessary touchdown for the Bucs and an L.

My logic there is this: if you are going to go for a touchdown then go for a touchdown. If you are going to try and run some clock then run some clock and knee. He also, yet again, decided to punt on fourth and short and gave the ball back to Tom Brady.

Then against the New Orleans Saints, the offense just bottled up once they had a lead. They punted four times in a row because, despite Herbert making plays happen, the team decided to adopt a run-run-pass offense with the lead.

Instead of being agressive and playing to win, as every successful team does, it feels too often that the Chargers play not to lose.