Chargers News: Brandon Staley Finds Himself in Bottom Half of Head Coach Rankings
2023 is a massive season for the Los Angeles Chargers. It is considered by many to be a make-or-break type of year for the organization due to the expectations that have been put on the team. After the playoff collapse from last year in the AFC Wild Card game, the team is looking ahead, but it's not without risks.
Many called for the job of head coach Brandon Staley after the Chargers lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the playoffs, but the organization remained loyal to him. Only time will tell if this is a smart decision or not, but there are many that are skeptical about the ability of Staley to do his job well. Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports is one of those people, as he ranked the Bolts' head coach as the 23rd-best coach in the NFL.
"Two years, two winning seasons for Staley as a HC, but even with all-star lineups, his trademark defensive unit has been very mercurial. Worse yet, his teams have folded at the worst possible times, with ugly back-to-back elimination losses in 2021-2022."
Benjamin is correct in saying that the Chargers have lost some ugly games. Staley is a coach that likes to take risks, and sometimes those risks have consequences in terms of the game's outcome. Staley can't afford to take those massive risks this season and expect to keep his job.
This Bolts team is loaded on both sides of the ball, and there are expectations that need to be met. With star quarterback Justin Herbert leading the charge, there is no reason why the Chargers shouldn't be able to make a playoff run. The team also brought in a new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to help get the stagnicity of the offense away.
If the Chargers and Staley don't show major improvement next season, surely changes will need to be made. Like all sports, the NFL is a results-driven league, so it's put up or shut up time for everyone in the Chargers organization.
