The NFL schedule makers did San Diego a favor by picking the Miami Dolphins for Sunday’s opponent in what could be the Chargers’ final game at Qualcomm Stadium. This is the earliest Miami has been eliminated from the playoff race since 2011, and the question was posed to quarterback Ryan Tannehill: Why are the Dolphins in this situation?
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“I’m disappointed, frustrated, upset, mad, angry – any adjective you can think of right now”, Tannehill said. After spending the last 10 months watching the Chargers and the City of San Diego play out a very public episode of divorce court, the fans feel betrayed by both sides. “We have to find a way”.
San Diego rushing (31st) vs. Miami rush defense (30th): The Dolphins have had one of the league’s worst run defenses this season but it’s improved in recent weeks – they’re allowing 131.5 rushing yards on the season but 114 in the last five games.
“I could get emotional thinking about it”, Rivers said this week. “We can’t be discouraged by anything”.
San Diego Chargers free safety Eric Weddle signs autographs after their win against the Miami Dolphins during the second half in an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015, in San Diego.
Rivers completed 26-of-36 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions against Miami as he went over 4,000 passing yards for the season. It was a different vibe at Qualcomm Stadium with this possibly being the Chargers’ final game in San Diego. “Seeing Malcom and those highlights and stuff, I had a hard time calling the next play in the huddle just knowing, shoot, he’s got two games left of ever playing football….”
The Chargers have resided in San Diego since 1961 after playing their first season in Los Angeles.
When NFL owners met in August, Carmen Policy, representing the Chargers and Raiders in their push for the Carson stadium, outlined a so-called “mega-market” the teams would control from Santa Barbara to the border. St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke is also pursuing a $1.8 billion stadium in Inglewood. The NFL will be conducting research to see if a team and stadium in Los Angeles is viable. “We’re 4-10, we’re 4-10, we’re 4-10”, Rivers kept telling himself, “and they act like it’s the playoffs”.
Although there were many empty seats at kickoff, fans gave the Chargers a rousing ovation as they headed to the locker room with a 23-0 halftime lead.
It might have been the most freaky play of the season, but when you’re talking about a game with absolutely zero importance in the grander scheme of things, we all take what we can get. Woodhead blew past Sheppard and caught a 20-yard touchdown. Woodhead scored from 2 yards out for a 16-0 San Diego advantage. He rushed for 27 yards on six carries, but had the longest rush of the game for the Dolphins at 12 yards.
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Now the franchise of Jack Kemp, Dan Fouts, Lance Alworth, Kellen Winslow, Junior Seau and LaDainian Tomlinson could be heading back up the freeway to L.A., where it played its inaugural season in 1960 before relocating to San Diego’s Balboa Stadium.
