It’s been a few days since the Los Angeles Chargers gave up a 27-0 lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars and lost to them in the final seconds of their Wild Card playoff game, and yet Brandon Staley is still their head coach.
Many fans and observers feel he doesn’t deserve to retain his job after what has transpired this season, especially on Saturday and in Week 18, when he played his starters too much in a virtually meaningless game, only to see wide receiver Mike Williams suffer a fractured back.
However, L.A. did make a move that could end up saving face and even result in significant improvements next season by firing offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi.
In addition, the team let go of passing game coordinator Shane Day.
We have parted ways with OC Joe Lombardi and Passing Game Coordinator/QBs Shane Day.
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) January 17, 2023
Lombardi was also the target of criticism and ridicule from Chargers fans for some of the same reasons Staley has been under fire, namely, the inability or unwillingness to employ a vertical passing attack with quarterback Justin Herbert.
All too often, Herbert had been reduced to throwing short passes or check-down passes instead of finding his receivers downfield and stretching defenses vertically in a manner similar to what legendary Chargers QB Dan Fouts did under then-head coach Don Coryell 40 years ago.
It is not clear who the candidates are right now to replace Lombardi, but if L.A. hires a good offensive mind who will take the chains off Herbert (and the team’s wide receivers), perhaps that will be good enough, at least on that side of the ball.
There is also the matter of the Bolts’ defense, which was supposed to be much-improved this season, only to see them finish 20th in total yards allowed and 21st in points allowed.
They have the tools to seriously compete in the AFC, but will they bring in the coaching staff to get the most out of those players?
