This year, the Chargers have beaten the 1-4 Raiders, the 1-5 Chiefs, and the 2-4 Titans. They’ve also lost winnable games via blown second-half leads to the Saints and the Broncos.
Asked on Wednesday regarding the existence of “chatter” over the lack of a killer instinct, quarterback Philip Rivers sharply disagreed.
“I think it’s just what you said, a lot of chatter,” Rivers said, via comments distributed by the team. “There’s no substance and it doesn’t matter what anyone on the outside thinks.”
But plenty of people on the outside think there’s real substance to it, as evidenced by double-digit leads squandered against New Orleans and Denver. Plenty of people also wonder why Rivers doesn’t get the same kind of criticism that Tony Romo and Mike Vick absorb for subpar play.
If the turnovers and blown leads continue, the chatter will only intensify. Regardless of its substance.