In the pantheon of excruciating Norv Turner losses with the San Diego Chargers, well, Sunday's defeat to the Baltimore Ravens was another one. For a new Chargers player like linebacker Takeo Spikes, however, the sensation was new.
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Ray Rice's fourth-and-29 conversion will serve as the denouement of the Turner era. Unless, of course, it was the 24-0 lead they blew against the Denver Broncos. Former Ravens and current Chargers linebacker Jarret Johnson put it well.
"Somehow, (the Ravens) figure out a way to win. We're the opposite of that," Johnson said.
"I don't know if we're snakebit," tailback Ronnie Brown said, "but it's something."
The Chargers are so maddening because they can build up big leads on quality opponents like the Broncos and Ravens. And then they blow it. Kevin Acee points out there are four 4-7 teams in the AFC. The Chargers are the only team that has outscored opponents. The other three have been outscored by 242 points combined.
"Everybody is baffled," Spikes told the U-T San Diego of the locker room's mood. "It's puzzled, distraught."
Chargers fans probably don't want to hear it, but San Diego isn't out of the race yet. Really. Beat the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers in back-to-back weeks, and they'd be right back in the AFC mix with favorable home games against the Carolina Panthers and Oakland Raiders still on tap.
There's just no reason to think a team that turns sure wins into losses can suddenly go on a run.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
