Isaac Weaver

Isaac Weaver's Biography

The Los Angeles Chargers marched into their 53rd season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 63rd overall in 2022. They continued their presence in the Greater Los Angeles Area for the seventh year and crossed the three-year mark of hosting their home games at SoFi Stadium. The season also marked their second year under the guidance of head coach Brandon Staley.

With a victory in week 17 over the Los Angeles Rams, the Chargers improved on their 9–8 record from the prior year. The success was pronounced with another victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16, which enabled the Chargers to clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2018. This achievement had special significance as it marked their first playoff appearance without Philip Rivers since 1995, when the team was still based in San Diego.

However, their playoff journey was cut short in the Wild Card round. Despite leading 27–0 in the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Chargers failed to maintain their dominance, losing the match 31–30 on a last-second field goal. This heartbreaking defeat marked the third-largest blown lead in NFL postseason history, eclipsed only by the 1992 Houston Oilers and 2013 Kansas City Chiefs. This was also the Chargers’ biggest blown lead ever, and their first Wild Card playoff loss since 2004 as well as their the first time since 2009 they were eliminated after just one playoff game.

Following the end of their 2021 season, the Chargers upgraded eleven players from their practice squad with reserve/future free agent contracts. During the season, each NFL team is allowed to elevate two players from the practice squad to the active game day roster each week, where these players can return to the practice squad twice without exposure to waivers. If a practice squad player is elevated to the game day roster a third time, they must clear waivers before returning.

The Chargers announced their preseason opponents and schedule on May 12, 2022, and conducted joint practices with the Dallas Cowboys on August 17 and 18 at the Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, California. A highlight of the season was the NFL announcement during the first round of the 2022 draft that saw the Chargers playing at the Kansas City Chiefs during Week 2 on September 15. This was available to fans internationally as Amazon Prime Video’s inaugural Thursday Night Football package.

During the season, the Chargers registered notable performances with three touchdowns scored by players making their team debut and three interceptions and six sacks by defensive debutants too. However, the team struggled with ball possession, holding the ball for only 21:33 in the match against Jacksonville Jaguars – a match that also reflected an Achilles’ heel in the Chargers’ performance: they were outgained by 151–26 in running yards.

Not all was bleak, though. For instance, in the game against the Houston Texans, Nasir Adderley’s interception set up Gerald Everett’s 18-yard touchdown on 3rd and 3. Also, Ekeler’s three total touchdowns and 60 rushing yards and 49 receiving yards and Callahan’s interception, which effectively cinched the win for that game, lit up the season.

However, the Chargers’ victory over Cleveland, despite a shaky start, was the toast of the season. Despite errors that caused them to fall behind in the first quarter, they turned things around thanks to a long run by Ekeler and a 99-yard touchdown drive without facing a third-down elimination.

In spite of the season’s ups and downs, the Los Angeles Chargers forged forward, making impressive strides and always looking to improve. The 2022 season remained etched in the team’s and fans’ memories for its momentous victories, epic comebacks, and hard-fought lessons learned.