Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh were both still in college and the Chargers had been in Los Angeles for only two years. That’s how long ago it was – Jan. 6, 2019 – that the Bolts last won a playoff game.
When the Chargers take on the No. 2-seed New England Patriots Sunday night in Foxboro, they’ll try to break a seven-year streak without a win in the playoffs. They’ve lost their last three – all in the Wild Card round – and haven’t won a postseason game since beating the Baltimore Ravens after the 2018 season.
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At that time, Herbert was a quarterback prospect at Oregon and Harbaugh was coaching the University of Michigan. Both will have a big say in Sunday night’s game. As will two Chargers who remarkably played in that win over the Ravens: receiver Keenan Allen and safety Derwin James.
Allen was in second season; James a rookie.
The Chargers are 3.5-point underdogs against the Patriots. Despite being a more veteran team, they were also predicted to lose to the Ravens in the 2019 Wild Card game in Baltimore.
The Bolts, coached then by Anthony Lynn, jumped to a 23-3 lead over the Ravens and a mistake-prone rookie quarterback named Lamar Jackson. Philip Rivers was the Chargers’ quarterback, completing passes to future Hall-of-Fame tight end Antonio Gates and Allen (four catches for 37 yards). Their only touchdown was scored by running back Melvin Gordon, whose 1-yard run made it 20-3 early in the fourth quarter.
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Michael Badgley kicked five field goals for the Chargers while the defense pressured Jackson into a comedy of errors. He fumbled three times, threw an interception and was sacked seven times, including two by Melvin Ingram.
The Chargers haven’t won two playoff games in a season since 2007.
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