EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- No use praising the opponents when you self-destruct.
That's how the Chargers felt Sunday after losing 27-21 to the New York Jets, an outcome determined in San Diego's view on its turnovers, penalties and utter collapse in the second half.
"We had them and we took our foot off the gas. I'm not giving credit to anybody," Chargers tight end Randy McMichael said after his team was blanked in the last two quarters after building a 21-10 lead. "This is our fault. It had nothing to do with anyone on their team. The guys in this locker room, we lost the game."
They lost it by committing 13 penalties for 95 yards -- one game after not being penalized at all in a victory over the Denver Broncos. San Diego also threw two fourth-quarter interceptions that set up New York's last 10 points, and left cornerback Antoine Cason to cover Plaxico Burress all day. Burress managed three TDs on his four catches.
"The San Diego Chargers beat the San Diego Chargers," McMichael said. "Nothing to do with the New York Jets. It's embarrassing."
"We played a game two weeks ago and had zero penalties for zero yards. We didn't handle that nearly as well today," said coach Norv Turner. "There were a lot of bang-bang plays in the pass coverage. Those are tough calls on the officials. They are tough plays on the DBs."
Not so tough, according to safety Eric Weddle.
"Some of those calls were pretty bad," Weddle said. "It's frustrating when, as a defense, you play your heart out to win and they call them in key situations."
"We just didn't finish off the game," quarterback Philip Rivers said. "If we played the second half like we played the first, it would have been a two-touchdown victory."
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
