Chargers get the boot after surrendering a late lead to the Bills

INGLEWOOD — The Chargers showed some serious fight in Giff Smith’s debut as their interim coach Saturday night against the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. They did not embarrass themselves or their community or the game of football, as they did a little more than a week ago.

They also did not win.

The injury-depleted Chargers seized a late lead, failed to hold it and dropped a 24-22 decision to the Bills, their sixth defeat in seven games, a stretch of futility that prompted a coaching change. The Bills won their third in a row after beating the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs in consecutive weeks.

Buffalo’s Tyler Bass kicked the winning 29-yard field goal with 28 seconds left.

The anticipated rout never materialized.

There would be no repeat of the Chargers’ humiliating 63-21 loss Dec. 14 to the Las Vegas Raiders, which led to the firings of Brandon Staley as coach and Tom Telesco as general manager. Smith was then promoted from outside linebackers coach to replace Staley one day later.

Oddsmakers made the Bills 12-½ point favorites, the first time the Chargers had been underdogs by 12 points or more since Week 13 in the 1998 season against the Denver Broncos, according to research by The Associated Press. They were 13-point underdogs and lost to the Broncos 31-16.

Quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills snapped to life after a listless first quarter, erasing the Chargers’ 10-0 lead by the end of the first half. The Bills never really took control of the game, though. Cameron Dicker kicked four field goals to keep the Chargers within striking distance.

Dicker’s fifth field goal, from 53 yards, put the Chargers in front 22-21 with 5:26 remaining in the game. Chargers safety Alohi Gilman knocked the ball free of the hands of Bills running back James Cook and Nick Williams recovered at Buffalo’s 32-yard line, setting up Dicker’s go-ahead kick.

In their first game after Staley and Telesco were fired, the Chargers jumped to a 10-0 lead over the playoff-bound Bills by the opening minutes of the second quarter. If the changes in leadership were a distraction for the Chargers, it was difficult to know in the opening minutes Saturday night.

Easton Stick, starting his second NFL game in place of the injured Justin Herbert, drove the Chargers 90 yards for Dicker’s 20-yard field goal on their first possession. Stick completed five of seven passes for 72 yards on the drive, looking poised and polished in and out of the pocket.

Stick’s 1-yard touchdown run after teammate Amen Ogbongbemiga recovered Deonte Harty’s fumble on a punt return at the Bills’ 27-yard line extended the Chargers’ lead to 10-0 with 13:49 remaining in the half. Herbert, standing on the sideline, appeared duly impressed when shown on TV replays.

Herbert is out for the season after undergoing right index finger surgery.

The Chargers’ momentum and their modest lead evaporated quickly, however.

Allen threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Davis and then he ran 2 yards for a second score to put the Bills in front 14-10 by halftime. Allen wasn’t sharp to start the game, misfiring on several throws, but he warmed to the task and wiped out the Chargers’ lead quickly.

In addition to Herbert, the Chargers also were without top wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, who were sidelined because of heel and knee injuries. Allen is expected to play in at least one of the Chargers’ final two games, but Williams was lost for the season after he was injured in Week 3.

Outside linebacker Joey Bosa, who suffered a fractured right foot in Week 11, also sat out Saturday’s game against the Bills. Bosa also hopes to return to the lineup before season’s end. Defensive back Deane Leonard also could be back next week after he was sidelined by heel injury.