Can the Chargers’ defensive stars exorcise their playoff demons?

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr.’s eyes filled with tears as he spoke after the Chargers’ playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars two seasons ago.

“I’ve been playing football for 21 years and I’ve never felt like this,” he said.

It was one of the most embarrassing losses in NFL history, as the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 31-30 loss. Outside linebacker Joey Bosa lost his temper amid the team’s collapse, with three penalties, including two for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Bosa’s third penalty came late in the fourth quarter when he slammed his helmet on the ground in frustration after Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Christian Kirk. Bosa tapped his helmet a second time after coach Brandon Staley handed it back to him.

In the weeks after the loss, outside linebacker Khalil Mack says he considered retiring. It was a complete humiliation for a team and defense that featured three of the best players at their positions, and a familiar and disappointing theme for the Chargers.

James, Mack and Bosa, together since the 2022 season, remain the pillars of the Chargers’ defense two years later, and are also among the most decorated players in the NFL. The trio has combined for 17 Pro Bowl selections and each member is among the highest-paid players at their position in NFL history.

However, in three seasons together, they have combined to achieve little success as a team: zero playoff wins and a defense that entered this season among the worst in the league. The latter part of the paradigm has changed this season, as the Chargers possessed the league’s best scoring defense in 2024. Wild-card playoff game against the Houston Texans (Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS) It could be the last chance for this triumvirate. to prevent their time together from being remembered as a disappointment.

“It’s one of those rare opportunities, rare situations, where we get the right group of people together. What are we going to do?” Mack, 33, told ESPN. “We don’t have time to waste. Especially me. We have to win now.”

THE 2023 SEASON It looked like it could be the end of this group. The Chargers finished 5-12, fired Staley and general manager Tom Telesco, and went more than $50 million over the league’s salary cap.

Bosa and Mack, two of the team’s highest-paid players, were among the most likely candidates to be released or traded as salary cap victims. In a surprising move, general manager Joe Hortiz eventually brought both back on reduced contracts.

Mack, who had finished with a career-high 17 sacks in one of the best statistical seasons of his career, wasn’t entirely sold on returning to the Chargers. He was excited about coach Jim Harbaugh, but he didn’t want to be a part of another five-win season. As Mack pondered his options, he and Harbaugh discussed their future in Los Angeles in a phone call.

“I’m not going to try to play another six years and then start taking advantage of motherfuckers, get on a playoff team and try to chase one,” Mack said. “I want to play meaningful football and I told him that.”

Instead of an immediate yes, Mack remembers Harbaugh taking a moment to respond and break down the Chargers’ roster player by player. Harbaugh told Mack they would need six or seven “guys” [high-impact players] on each side of the ball, and that the Chargers could reach that number with Mack and additional free agents and draft picks.

Harbaugh’s candor about the state of the Chargers surprised Mack. The way Harbaugh categorically explained the Chargers’ path to contending this season helped Mack understand why Harbaugh has been so successful.

“He’s not the type of guy to lie to you. And I’ve been lied to before,” Mack said with a smile. “I respected him, man.”

Bosa was in a different place. Drafted by the Chargers in 2016, Bosa had gone from being the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history in 2020 to struggling to stay healthy. The 2023 season was another injury-marred season in which he was limited to nine games. Still, Bosa didn’t want to leave the Chargers and that made it an easy decision when the organization asked him to take a pay cut.

“I wanted another chance with the guys in this room, especially Khalil,” Bosa, 29, said. “For me now it is more important to win football games than to earn some extra money.”

James, 28, was coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, the first season in which he had not been named a Pro Bowler when he played at least 16 games. As he watched the offseason unfold with Chargers mainstays not returning (wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and running back Austin Ekeler), James was grateful for the chance at redemption with Mack and Bosa back.

“Every day I go out on the field, man, I want to do it for Mack and Joey,” James told ESPN. “I know why Mack came back. Mack could have gone anywhere, bro, like he had an All-Pro year last year. But that’s why I’m trying to do it: for those guys.”

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IN THE CHARGERS In the Week 16 win over the Denver Broncos, James and Mack argued. The Broncos’ running offense had been dominating the Chargers’ defense, to the point that television cameras caught the words “RUN IT” written on Broncos coach Sean Payton’s play sheet. James yelled at Mack for not being in the right position on one of the many runs the Broncos recited. Mack responded with profanity, explaining that he was right. When Mack finished, James replied, “Oh, yeah. I needed that big brother. Let’s go.”

“I’m like, ‘What the fuck?'” Mack said while laughing. “I never heard him say that before, but I thought, ‘OK.'”

While James’ response was surprising to Mack, the initial interaction was not. Bosa, James and Mack often yell at each other for mistakes in games or practices, which they say sets a standard on defense that the Chargers haven’t always had.

“We know where we want to be and those awkward moments will make us special,” James said. “I’ve been on teams where you can’t say certain things to certain players. That’s half the battle. If you’re not doing it right, someone will let you know.”

“It’s nice to be able to feel free when communicating with the group,” Bosa said. “You don’t have to walk on eggshells or be careful about criticizing someone or do anything like that. You’re close when you can give each other hard times and just laugh about it together.”

James would make one of the biggest plays of the game shortly after his dispute with Mack. With the Chargers down 24-19 and 1:32 left in the third quarter, James delivered a hard hit to Broncos running back Javonte Williams, forcing a punt. Mack said he realized in that game that James “needs you to insult him a little bit.”

Although it took Mack three seasons to learn about the positive impact of cursing James, they each have a general idea of ​​what motivates each other. For Bosa, it may be Mack talking trash about opponents being better than Bosa. For Mack, it could be anything from a question from a reporter to quotes from players on other teams.

One that stands out for Mack this year was in Week 3 when the Chargers played the Steelers. In the days before the game, Pittsburgh tackle Dan Moore Jr. told reporters that Mack was a “solid runner.”

“I was like, ‘You bet. Did he forget who I am?’ [I] it cooked his ass,” said Mack, who had a sack and a season-high five quarterback pressures in the game.

So far, this has been the trio’s best season together. The Chargers finished with the NFL’s best scoring defense, allowing 17.7 points per game, the first time they achieved that feat since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. James has returned to his place as one of the NFL’s best safeties, with a career-high 5.5 sacks this season, earning him his fourth Pro Bowl selection. Mack and Bosa have battled injuries this season and don’t have the gaudy stats they’ve had in previous years, but Mack has at least six sacks for the 10th season of his career and was named to his ninth Pro Bowl. Bosa has played in the most games (14) since Mack arrived in Los Angeles and has five sacks this season.

“Everyone wants to fix things, make them proud,” quarterback Justin Herbert said of the veteran defenders.

The Chargers will be in a similar situation at the end of the season as they were last season, with the option of moving on from Mack and Bosa. Mack will be a free agent and Bosa will have one year left on his contract with no guaranteed salary. This playoff run could be their last chance to achieve the goal of a Super Bowl they set out for and failed to achieve in the previous three seasons.

“We’re proud to be the godfather,” James said. “This is my fourth Pro Bowl. I’ve been All-Pro. I’ve been the highest-paid safety in the league. I’m trying to win a Super Bowl. I want to win a Super Bowl.”