Anthony Lynn: Running at the end of the game was “completely bad communication”

The Chargers had some hope at the end of Sunday’s loss to the Bills when Justin Herbert met Tyron Johnson for a 55-yard pass to the Buffalo 2-yard line.

At 10 with no time out, the Chargers needed a quick score and a kick in play to have a chance to tie the game. They rushed to the ball and smashed it with 20 seconds left, but the choice of play was weird. Herbert handed the ball over to Austin Ekeler, who was stopped before the end zone and the pick essentially left no shots at the two scores they needed.

After the game, Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said the call was “miscommunication” before facing a series of questions about his overall handling of the clock during the game. Lynn’s answers didn’t offer much solace about the decision-making process, although he dismissed the idea that running the clock was a problem for his staff.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Lynn said. “I would sit down and talk to you about each of our decisions. I’m not saying it was perfect at all. But what happened today at the end of the game was poor communication.

The Chargers are now 3-8 and repeated mistakes in close losses haven’t done much to argue Lynn will return for a fifth season in 2021.