The Los Angeles Chargers gave up two scores on special teams, while Justin Herbert threw for just 209 yards and two interceptions as the franchise suffered its worst ever defeat, a 45-0 hammering at the hands of the New England Patriots
Monday 7 December 2020 10:26, UK
Head coach Anthony Lynn says he expects to still be in charge on Monday on the back of the Los Angeles Chargers' 45-0 defeat to the New England Patriots - the worst in the franchise's history.
The Chargers' fifth loss in their last six saw them slip to 3-9 on the year and raised more questions surrounding Lynn's job security amid his fourth season with the team.
"I expect to be the coach of this team tomorrow," said Lynn post-game when asked about his job status.
Lynn added that he continues to speak regularly with team owner Dean Spanos, although the two are yet to discuss his role in 2021.
"That's out of my control, my job status. But I talk to Dean all the time," he said.
"He's (Spanos) frustrated as hell, just like I am right now. Very frustrating. When I came here, we felt like the first couple of years we got this thing going in the right direction, and the last couple of years, it just hasn't been that way, so it is my job to get us back on the right track. And if I'm here, I will."
The Patriots' special teams accounted for 14 points in the game, firstly a 70-yard punt return from Gunner Olszewski followed by a blocked field goal returned for 44 yards by Devin McCourty.
This came after the Chargers had made changes to their special teams staff, with special teams coach George Stewart being reassigned to an offensive analyst role and making way for his assistant Keith Burns and Chris Caminiti to oversee the unit, along with the help of Lynn himself.
"That was one of the worst football games that I've ever been a part of in my 30 years in the National Football League as a player and a coach," Lynn said.
"It was unacceptable, special teams was. The whole operation. Today got confusing on the field. It was unacceptable.
"This is what we have to work with right now. I'm helping now because they need help there. When you let one guy go, someone else has to step in. Helping out a little bit just in practice, just in drills and things like that, but the operation today was just, it was not good."
Quarterback Justin Herbert had one of his tougher days amid an outstanding rookie campaign, finishing 26-of-53 for 209 yards and two interceptions as well as being sacked three times and hit on 11 other occasions.
"He is a young quarterback, and he wanted to be in the game with his team-mates," Lynn said after keeping Herbert in the game. "They wanted to go down the field and get on the scoreboard.
"But, more than that, you gotta learn to play through the rough patches. And you're going to have some rough patches throughout a season. I don't want to pull him out when things are getting bad. I want him to play through it and turn things around. That was the main reason."
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