Chargers' Brandon Staley defends 4th down gambles after OT loss to Chiefs

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The Los Angeles Chargers dropped a close game on Thursday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, losing in overtime 34-28.

One of the overarching storylines of the game was Los Angeles doing its best to either score a touchdown or keep drives alive on 4th downs. The Chargers were 2-for-5 in those instances and even passed up a couple of field goals in the process which may have altered the outcome of the game.

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Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley looks on during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Los Angeles coach Brandon Staley defended the decision to keep going for it on 4th down.

"That's the way we're going to play," Staley said, via the team’s website. "When we have a quarterback like ours, and we have an offense like ours, that's the way we're going to play because that's how you need to play against Kansas City, for sure. That's how we're going to become the team that we're ultimately capable of being, by playing that way. I'm really proud of our guys. I thought we competed like champions today."

Head coach Brandon Staley of the Los Angeles Chargers looks on during the first half of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 16, 2021 in Inglewood, California. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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The teams went back and forth the entire game and it really came down to the final frame as the Chiefs barely outscored the Chargers 15-14.

Justin Herbert finished 22-for-38 with 236 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, left, looks to pass under pressure from Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Nick Bolton during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

"We're awfully close," he said. "I think that's the toughest part. I was really proud with how the defense, the offense and the special teams played … Everyone is going to ride with us and we're going to trust each other and we love to be in that opportunity. The defense feels the same way, we believe in those guys 100 percent. We were close, we fell short today, but we couldn't have tried any harder. I was really proud of those guys."

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Los Angeles fell to 8-6 with the loss.