You either have a franchise quarterback, or you don’t.
The Chargers have theirs.
The 0-10 Jets are six more losses from theirs.
The Dream survived and advanced on Sunday: Justin Herbert versus Trevor Lawrence, now THAT would be a fair fight everyone would love to watch.
Gallant Joe Flacco never stopped fighting, never stopped flinging, but too little and too late is never a formula for victory.
Flacco somehow had this one last chance to try to overcome the wonder of Justin Herbert (37-for-49, 366 yards, 3 TDs).
The Chargers were in the midst of one of their inexcusable choke jobs.
One last chance, 32 yards from the chance to tie the game.
One last chance to be Joe Cool.
Incomplete at the goal line for Denzel Mims, hand-fighting with Tevaughn Campbell.
A give-up safety with one second left ended it, Chargers 34, Jets 28.
Maybe, if Flacco got to operate against the Kiddie Corps populating the Jets secondary and pass rushers stuck in molasses, it would have been a fairer fight. Maybe.
But that was no time for Jets fans to be Wacko For Flacco.
And now, Sam Darnold, if his shoulder allows him to return against Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins, gets six last chances to change the narrative on Lawrence and on Justin Fields and on the end of his tormented Jets career.
Herbert made it look like child’s play: 277 yards passing and two TDs by halftime. Pitch and catch with Keenan Allen (16-145-1 TD) anytime he pleased.
Only if Flacco had not thrown a disastrous pick-six.
Only if he had taken shots to his receiver, any receiver, in the first half.
Flacco had gotten off the canvas on the opening possession of the second half, when he conceded a pair of third downs before hitting Breshad Perriman with a 49-yard TD pass against Casey Hayward.
And Herbert yawned and rolled left on third-and-goal and whipped a 10-yard TD to Allen against The Other Lamar Jackson, and it was 31-13.
Flacco began swinging for the home run, and Denzel Mims obliged with a 27-yard catch and a 19-yard pass interference, and Frank Gore’s 80th career rushing TD made it 31-19. His 10-yard TD pass to Chris Herndon made it Chargers 34, Jets 26 with four minutes left.
It had started off with such promise for the Boys of Bummer:
Kalen Ballage limps off on his second carry.
A Tarell Basham sack.
A Henry Anderson punt block.
A rampaging Gore.
A 2-yard La’Mical Perine TD.
The first of two missed Sam Ficken PATs. You want everything?
A Marcus Maye forced fumble on Allen at the NYJ 1!
And that’s all she would write.
Flacco, from his end zone, gifted Campbell a pick-six on a lazy throw in the right flat for Jamison Crowder.
Oh no Flacco!
Flacco’s second possession: three-and-out.
Flacco’s third possession: three-and-out.
By that time, Herbert had found Mike Williams with a 39-yard TD versus Arthur Maulet — with Maye colliding with him — and Tyron Johnson with a 2-yard TD on the heels of a 54-yard connection to Johnson with overmatched LB Neville Hewitt in coverage.
0-10. The Trevor Lawrence Dream survives and advances.
