Chargers Need To Finish Games Or Else

By Dave Thomas

When you look at the roster and watch the San Diego Chargers play, you soon come to realize that there is a fair amount of talent on that squad.

With that said, this team last season and to start this campaign should have been putting teams away when it had the lead. Unfortunately, the Chargers reverted to their old ways Monday evening in a difficult 18-17 loss at Arizona.

Turn back the clock to just one year ago and Charger fans all too well know what we're talking about.

The Season That Could Have Been

During their run to the playoffs for the first time in four years a season ago, the Chargers (9-7) had a number of hiccups where they were in charge, only to suffer the loss when the final seconds ticked off.

Case in point:

* 31-28 loss to Houston - In the season opener at home, San Diego holds a commanding 28-7 lead over the Texans early in the third quarter, only to watch the visitors run up 24 unanswered points as time expires. Unfortunately, this is only the start of more bad things to come;

* 20-17 loss to Tennessee - Two weeks later in Nashville, San Diego is again on the cusp of a victory, only to watch the struggling Titans pull out the victory. Leading 17-10 midway through the third quarter, San Diego sees Tennessee score the final 10 points, including a 34-yard game-winning pass from Jake Locker to Justin Hunter with :15 left.

In several other losses, the Chargers were either tied or behind, but their rallies came up short. Losses to Oakland (27-17), Washington (30-24 in overtime), Miami (20-16) and even the playoff loss (24-17) in Denver, were all games that San Diego could have come out on top with a few plays going their way.

Now, no one is suggesting that the 2014 campaign is going to be one where the Chargers miss opportunity after opportunity.

That being said, Monday's loss in Arizona was all too similar to a number of games a season ago where San Diego had the finish line within sight, but could not pull off the victory.

With a new season here, Charger players and fans hope that literally dropping the ball in several games a season ago does not become the norm again this season.

After making the playoffs last year, winning a tough road game in Cincinnati and giving eventual AFC champion Denver all it wanted at home, San Diego has even bigger goals this season.

In order to achieve those goals, however, the Chargers must find the finish line week in and out.

For more Chargers news and updates, visit Chargers Central.

Dave Thomas has been covering the sports world since his first job as a sports editor for a weekly newspaper in Pennsylvania back in 1989. He has covered a Super Bowl, college bowl games, MLB, NBA and more. His work can be found on Examiner.com.