Chargers Special Teams Fail Again in Loss

Late missed field goal seals 19-17 setback

The banner that flew from behind a plane above the StubHub Center read what many Chargers fans have been feeling even before the team moved from San Diego to Los Angeles:

"Worst Owner in Sports? Dean Spanos. Pay Your Rent!"

Spanos may be the worst owner in sports but his team has one of the best tight ends in history. Antonio Gates made long-awaited history and this time but as has happened so many times in his storied career it came in a loss.

The Chargers had another late special teams meltdown in a 19-17 setback to the Dolphins at their intimate soccer stadium.

The first quarter was largely uninspiring with the only points coming (fittingly, since itโ€™s a soccer stadium) off the foot of Dolphins kicker Cody Parkey and his 30-yard field goal. The Chargers got on the board with a 41-yard field goal in the 2nd quarter, the first of rookie kicker Younghoe Kooโ€™s career.

In the 2nd quarter the Chargers took their first lead of the 2017 season. A big reason is quarterback Philip Rivers remembered Hunter Henry was on the roster. The tight end that was not targeted once in the season-opening loss to Denver caught a 15-yard pass. That was followed by a 26-yard run by backup running back Branden Oliver and a 24-yard dart from Rivers to Keenan Allen.

The drive ended with a 1-yard Melvin Gordon TD run and a 10-3 Chargers lead. The Jay Cutler-led Dolphins offense looked out of sync for most of the first half but when Miami came out of the locker room after halftime it looked like a different unit.

Aided by an ill-advised unnecessary roughness penalty by safety Tre Boston, Cutler found La Costa Canyon High School alum Kenny Stills for a 30-yard touchdown that tied the game 10-10.

After that, we had a moment that, regardless of whether or not fans still support the Chargers, probably made them smile. Rivers carved the Dolphins defense, completing passes to five different receivers. The last one will go down in history. Rivers found Antonio Gates for a 7-yard touchdown, the 112th TD catch of Gatesโ€™ career and a new NFL record for touchdown catches by a tight end. Gates was at the bottom of a dog pile in the end zone in what was the loudest moment of the day from the non-sellout crowd (25,381 total) at StubHub Center. The catch also put the Chargers back on top 17-10.

Miami marched down the field again but on 3rd and 5 Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram sacked Cutler to force a field goal, cutting the lead to 17-13. On their next possession the Dolphins kicked another field goal to make it 17-16. The Dolphins got off the field again and bad special teams once again hurt the Bolts.

Drew Kaserโ€™s punt was returned 13 yards to the Miami 49 yard line. With 3:02 to play and needing only to get in to field goal range to take the lead, the Dolphins turned to running back Jay Ajayi.

Ajayi started the drive with an 11-yard run and followed with a pair of two yard runs. On 3rd and 6 Ajayi caught a pass for one yard so Dolphins head coach Adam Gase sent on Parkey for a 54-yard try and the kicker drilled it. Miami had a 19-17 lead.

Rivers got the ball with 1:01 to play at his own 20 yard line. Rivers completed 4 straight passes to move the Bolts to the Dolphins 26 yard line and Koo once again missed, this time from 44 yards, to drop the Bolts to 0-2.

The Chargers host their division rivals, the 2-0 Kansas City Chiefs in Week 3.

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