Philip Rivers was as upset as anyone following Sunday's 27-19 loss to the Denver Broncos, but the defeat didn't leave him any less deflated about the Chargers' chances the rest of the season.
Yes, they are 3-5 at the midway point, but number 17 senses something special about this 2016 team:
"I'm fired up. We've have two at home (coming up) to get 5-5, get the bye and we go (on to) have a six game season. This feels a little bit like our 2007 season to me. I don't think we're nearly as healthy as we were in 2007 at this point in the year considering all of the injuries that we've today, but it feels a little bit like that. We him-hawed around and found a way to get to 5-5 and never looked back. I believe we can win every game, but I removed myself from being quarterback and looked at the three game stretch we just finished (with Denver-Atlanta-Denver). I said, 'We have to get two out of three' and we did when probably most picked us to lose all three. Shoot, we beat the odds there and we're going to go home, win two and get to 5-5. I can't wait."
That confidence and belief is widespread throughout the Chargers locker room. While Rivers and Antonio Gates are the only two players around from that 2007 season, players like Matt Slauson share the same belief that the Bolts can go on a roll:
"I know this loss is going to be talked about all week, and people will say our season is over, but all our goals are still intact. Everything is there for us. Nothing has changed. We can still accomplish everything we need to accomplish. I keep using this as an example, but look at the Kansas City Chiefs from last year. It's the same thing. It's there for us. We've just got to play better as a group."
