Chargers’ valiant effort as spoilers is ruined by Bills’ field goal in waning seconds
The Chargers went from being red-faced to making an about-face Saturday night, making life for Buffalo very uncomfortable before falling 24-22 at SoFi Stadium.
They were coming off a 63-21 loss at Las Vegas, a defeat that proved to be the final game for Brandon Staley as head coach and Tom Telesco as general manager. Both were fired the morning after the loss.
So how the Chargers responded against the Bills would be an early storyline.
And their response? They took a 10-0 lead less than two minutes into the second quarter, lost the lead by halftime but hung around to push Buffalo to the brink.
The Bills won on a 29-yard field goal by Tyler Bass with 28 seconds remaining.
Chargers can’t mount miracle comeback in 24-22 loss to Bills
🏈 Bills 24, Chargers 22 — FINAL
On the Chargers’ final possession, Bills linebacker Ed Oliver sacked Easton Stick before he threw an incomplete pass intended for Quentin Johnston to leave one second left on the game clock.
The Chargers then went on a final-play lateral spree, with at least one illegal forward pass before Alex Erickson was tackled to end the game.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 15 of 21 passes for 237 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. Bills receiver Gabe Allen made four catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.
Stick completed 23 of 33 passes for 210 yards and Joshua Palmer made five catches for 47 yards. Austin Ekeler picked up 65 yards in 15 carries.
Bills retake lead with 28 seconds left in regulation
🏈 Bills 24, Chargers 22 — 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter
Tyler Bass kicked a 29-yard field goal to push the Bills back into the lead with less than 30 seconds left in regulation.
A 15-yard catch by Buffalo receiver Khalil Shakir was initially ruled a touchdown, but a video review determined he was down by contact at the Chargers’ 13-yard line. Unfortunately for the Chargers, the non-touchdown allowed the Bills to hold the ball longer with a fresh set of downs and run more than two minutes off the clock.
The Chargers are out of timeouts as they try to mount a miracle comeback.
Josh Allen completed a 17-yard pass to tight end Dawson Knox and an 11-yard pass to Stefon Diggs to power the 13-play, 64-yard field-goal drive.
Chargers re-take lead on Cameron Dicker’s fifth field goal tonight
🏈 Chargers 22, Bills 21 — 5:26 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 53-yard field goal — his fifth field goal of the game — to push the Chargers back into the lead.
Easton Stick was sacked on third down by Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard, but the play did not push the Chargers out of Dicker’s range. The Chargers got the ball at the Bills’ 32-yard line when safety Alohi Gilman recovered a fumble by Bills running back James Cook.
James Cook fumbles away ball on first play of Buffalo drive
🏈 Bills 21, Chargers 19 — 7:10 left in the fourth quarter
Bills running back James Cook fumbled the ball on the first play of Buffalo’s possession, and Chargers safety Alohi Gilman recovered, giving the Chargers the ball at the Buffalo 32.
Buffalo’s third turnover tonight puts the Chargers in prime position to re-take the lead for the first time since the second quarter.
Chargers trail by two late in fourth quarter
🏈 Bills 21, Chargers 19 — 7:19 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 45-yard field goal, extending his field goals streak to 18, as the Chargers continued to cut into the Bills’ lead.
After Ed Oliver and Leonard Floyd sacked Easton Stick on second down, Stick completed short passes to Derius Davis and Gerald Everett to move the Chargers back into field-goal range.
Chargers linebackers Erick Kendricks and Tuli Tuipulotu sacked Josh Allen on third down to end Buffalo’s previous possession. A false start penalty pinned the Bills into the end zone, allowing the Chargers to start at the Buffalo 48 coming off the punt.
Chargers cut into Bills’ lead on another Cameron Dicker field goal
🏈 Bills 21, Chargers 16 — 12:36 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 47-yard field goal — his third of the game — to cut into the Bills’ lead early in the fourth quarter.
Easton Stick completed a 12-yard pass to Jalen Guyton and then found Joshua Palmer on an 18-yard pass as part of the Chargers’ 11-play, 46-yard drive.
Bills extend their lead on Josh Allen tush-push touchdown
🏈 Bills 21, Chargers 13 — 2:09 left in the third quarter
Bills quarterback Josh Allen scored on a one-yard run up the middle, pushed into the end zone by Latavius Murray to extend Buffalo’s lead.
Gabe Davis made a 36-yard, over-the-shoulder catch on a perfectly placed pass from Allen to set up the touchdown. A 17-yard catch by Bills receiver Khalil Shakir helped fuel the Bills’ 10-play, 75-yard drive.
Can Easton Stick and the Chargers respond?
Chargers make it a one-point game on Cameron Dicker field goal
🏈 Bills 14, Chargers 13 — 7:22 left in the third quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 40-yard field goal for the Chargers to make it a one-point game.
Bills defensive tackle Poona Ford stopped the Chargers’ eight-play, 36-yard drive when he sacked Easton Stick on third down. Stick helped push the Chargers into field-goal range on a 21-yard run.
The Chargers got the ball after safety Alohi Gilman intercepted Bills quarterback Josh Allen on the previous possession.
Chargers safety Alohi Gilman picks off Bills QB Josh Allen
🏈 Bills 14, Chargers 10 — 11:10 left in the third quarter
Chargers safety Alohi Gilman pick off a deep pass from Josh Allen intended for Stefon Diggs to end the Bills’ first possession of the second half.
Gilman managed to get underneath Diggs on the pass, which was underthrown. The Chargers took over at their 42-yard-line.
Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas sacked Easton Stick on third down to end the Chargers’ opening possession of the second half.
Josh Allen touchdown gives Bills lead at halftime
🏈 Bills 14, Chargers 10 — HALFTIME
Buffalo rebounded from an early double-digit deficit to take the lead just before halftime.
Josh Allen scored on a two-yard keeper to give the Bills’ their first lead with 38 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Chargers quarterback Easton Stick completed 10 of 14 passes for 101 yards in the opening half. He also scored the Chargers’ lone touchdown on a one-yard run.
Austin Ekeler carried nine times for 47 yards.
The Chargers will receive the second-half kickoff.
Bills strike back on Gabe Davis’ 57-yard touchdown catch
🏈 Chargers 10, Bills 7 — 9:02 left in the second quarter
After netting only three first downs on their first three series, the Buffalo Bills struck quickly when Josh Allen hit Gabe Davis for a 57-yard touchdown.
Davis ended up matched against linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr., who was unable to stick with the wide receiver when Allen scrambled to extend the play.
Before the play, the Chargers’ defense had permitted only 66 total yards.
Chargers extend lead on Easton Stick touchdown run
🏈 Chargers 10, Bills 0 — 13:49 left in the second quarter
Easton Stick continued his impressive start by running one yard for the game’s first touchdown, extending the Chargers’ lead.
The offense took over at the Buffalo 27-yard line thanks to the Chargers’ special teams. Rookie AJ Finley forced Bills’ punt returner Deonte Harty to fumble with a strip-tackle, Amen Ogbongbemiga recovering.
Stick threw three passes to tight end Gerald Everett to pick up 26 yards, giving the Chargers first and goal at the Bills’ one.
The rushing touchdown was the first of Stick’s career.
Chargers take early lead after promising opening drive
🏈 Chargers 3, Bills 0 — 6:32 left in the first quarter
The Chargers took their first lead since their Week 13 victory at New England when Cameron Dicker booted a 20-yard field goal to cap their first series against Buffalo.
Backup quarterback Easton Stick led the offense on a 14-play, 90-yard drive during which the Chargers converted a pair of third downs, both coming on Stick completions.
The possession stalled at the Bills’ two-yard line when Stick threw incomplete on third and goal.
After Chargers pick coach and GM, big decisions lie ahead on costly roster
They didn’t rebuild as much as they re-upped, the Chargers convinced their roster was close enough coming out of the 2022 season to make only a few significant changes.
Jamaree Salyer replaced guard Matt Feiler. Linebacker Eric Kendricks and safety Alohi Gilman assumed the starting jobs that had belonged to Drue Tranquill and Nasir Adderley.
Veteran defenders Kyle Van Noy and Bryce Callahan were allowed to depart as a pair of new coordinators — Kellen Moore on offense and Derrick Ansley on defense — took over.
Soon enough, everyone would know just how badly the Chargers had miscalculated their potential, the fallout starting Friday morning with the firings of general manager Tom Telesco and coach Brandon Staley.
Chargers ownership insists money won’t be a limiting factor in coach and GM search
John Spanos on Monday pushed back against a suggestion that the Chargers’ financial situation could limit their searches for a new general manager and head coach.
Saying, “I want to know where narratives come from,” the team’s president of football operations said he and his father — chairman Dean Spanos — are as committed to winning as they’ve ever been.
“I can tell you there have been no discussions internally about there being a max [salary for the new hires],” Spanos said. “I mean, we’re always going to do what’s in the best interest of the team.”
The Chargers generally are considered to be one of the NFL’s less wealthy franchises but Spanos pointed to the team’s recent investments in players and construction of a training facility in El Segundo as examples of willingness to spend.
Donald Parham Jr. among Chargers’ inactives vs. Bills
Tight end Donald Parham Jr. is among the Chargers’ inactives for their game tonight against Buffalo at SoFi Stadium.
Parham apparently is a healthy scratch since he didn’t appear on the injury report in the days leading up to this game.
The other inactives include wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel), who was ruled out Thursday.
Cornerback Deane Leonard (heel), safety JT Woods and quarterback Max Duggan are also inactive.
Duggan has been designated as the Chargers’ emergency third quarterback.
‘You just roll with it.’ Chargers interim coach Giff Smith embraces new challenge
He stepped before the assembled media Tuesday for the first time as an interim NFL head coach and sounded as if he was ready for the assignment.
Well, almost.
“I wish that I would’ve lost some weight a few weeks back,” Giff Smith said, smiling. “That would have been a positive. I wasn’t expecting this.”
He opened with a joke, the Chargers’ latest leader did, Smith making his news conference debut after leading the team through its first practice since Brandon Staley was fired Friday.
With Bills next, Chargers’ jobs on line: ‘We have three weeks to show the character’
He was asked to capture a Chargers season that has gone violently sideways in just a single word.
Eric Kendricks thought for a few seconds before offering two words: “So close.” Then he thought some more.
“But there’s a lot of close games in the NFL,” the veteran linebacker said. “It’s about finishing them.”
The Chargers too often haven’t, their 5-9 record including five losses by three or fewer points.
Chargers vs. Bills matchups: How to watch, start time and prediction
Breaking down how the Chargers (5-9) and Buffalo Bills (8-6) match up heading into their game Saturday beginning at 5:15 p.m. at SoFi Stadium. The game will be televised by NBC:
When Chargers have the ball
Quarterback Easton Stick completed 23 of 32 pass attempts and threw for three touchdowns in the Chargers’ Week 15 loss at Las Vegas. He also fumbled twice, however, and had his one interception run back for a touchdown.
Stick, who barely played over the previous five seasons before Justin Herbert’s season-ending finger injury in Week 14, has fumbled four times in 21 possessions.