The Chargers have eight wins this season because they have been able to grind down opposing teams, but they weren’t able to follow that formula in Tampa on Sunday.
After building a 17-13 lead in the first half, the bottom fell out for the Chargers in the second half. The Bucs ran for 155 yards after the break and outscored the Chargers 27-0 in the final 30 minutes for a 40-17 win. The Chargers managed just 32 rushing yards for the game and Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield said after the game that it was important for the Bucs to show that they can win a game that way.
“That’s a physical football team,” Mayfield said, via the team’s website. “That’s what they pride themselves on, is rushing the ball and being physical. So to flip the script on that is huge for us.”
The Bucs have won four straight games since their bye week and they have posted at least 152 rushing yards in each of those victories. That has changed the narrative about what kind of team the Bucs are this season and it’s happened at the right time for them to become a tough out in the postseason.
