HOUSTON — Veteran center Bradley Bozeman’s eyes welled with tears and his voice cracked as he talked about the Chargers’ 32-12 loss Saturday to the Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card game. Like many of his teammates, Bozeman expected more than just a one-and-done playoff appearance.
After all, the Chargers had rocketed into the playoffs with three consecutive impressive victories, improved their seeding from sixth to fifth and completed the regular season with an 11-6 record in Jim Harbaugh’s first season as coach and Joe Hortiz’s first year as their general manager.
More to the point, they had formed a tight bond, a brotherhood of sorts, through training camp, through the exhibition season and through the ups and downs of the regular season. They believed they were built to make a deep run, advancing past the Texans and making the most of their opportunity.
When it didn’t happen, when the Texans throttled the Chargers’ offense with a suffocating defense that pressured quarterback Justin Herbert into a career-high four interceptions, it was difficult to wrap their heads around the sudden and dramatic end to their postseason quest Saturday.
“These guys worked it, man, these guys worked their (rear ends) off,” Bozeman said. “They deserved more. That’s it. It’s a good starting point. We came in and we did some really good things. I hope I’m around next year. I love this place. I want to be here. Right now, that’s out of my hands. We’ll see what goes forward.
“This organization is going to be in a great spot next year whether I’m here or not, but I want to be a part of that.”
Harbaugh called the 2024 team his favorite of all his football teams. Presumably, that includes the University of Michigan team that went 15-0 and won the national championship during the 2023 season. He wasn’t alone in expressing his love and admiration for the Chargers in his NFL return.
“It just is,” Harbaugh said when asked why this team was his favorite.
Rosters come together and break apart and then come together and break apart.
It’s an annual rite in the NFL.
It made losing and the inevitable breakup in the coming days harder to handle.
“I wouldn’t trade this team for nothing,” Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. said. “Best team I’ve ever been on, man. Hats off to our coaches and players all year long. It hurts for sure. We just didn’t play all the way clean. We gave up a few plays on third-and-long. We just didn’t play all the way clean.”
What did James like most about the 2024 Chargers?
“Togetherness, every man just wanted to get it right every day, coaches and players just put everything into it,” he said. “I wouldn’t trade nobody for nobody, no coach, no player. We just weren’t the better team (Saturday). It’s not basketball where you have a series of seven (games).
“They got us (Saturday) and we’ve got to move on from it.”
MCCONKEY BY NUMBERS
Wide receiver Ladd McConkey caught nine passes for 197 yards, an NFL record for a rookie in a playoff game, plus one touchdown. Keenan Allen had held the Chargers’ rookie record for receiving yards in a postseason game with 142 yards on six receptions in a loss to the Denver Broncos on Jan. 12, 2014.
“He just finds a way to make plays,” Herbert said of McConkey, who broke the previous NFL rookie mark of 181 yards set by the Rams’ Puca Nacua last year. “He’s just done such a great job of competing all year. We’re a better team with him. It’s unfortunate the way it went (losing to the Texans).
“He’s a true ballplayer. Incredible to watch him play (Saturday).”