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SAN DIEGO (AP) — One month ago, the San Diego Chargers shared the NFL's best record with Dallas and Philadelphia.
Now they're on the outside looking in at the playoff picture with seven games to go, meaning they'll need another frantic finish like last year if they're going to get back to the postseason.
A three-game losing streak has dropped the Chargers from the penthouse back to the ground floor, leaving them with a gnawing feeling during their bye week.
Although a 31-28 victory at Oakland on Oct. 12 was their fifth straight win, the Chargers have been sliding since that game. They allowed Derek Carr to throw four touchdown passes and needed a last-minute interception from rookie cornerback Jason Verrett to seal it.
Then came losses to AFC West rivals Kansas City and Denver before the Bolts bottomed out in a stunning 37-0 loss at Miami.
Their defense has lost its punch, the offensive line can't open any holes and the Chargers made it across the 50-yard line just once against the Dolphins, on the game's opening drive.
Philip Rivers, once mentioned as an MVP contender, planned to "rest and enjoy some family time and just get geared back up and have a heck of a finish to the season."
That's what it's going to take for the Chargers (5-4), who are third in the AFC West and are looking up at nine teams with better records.
The standings will sort themselves out, of course. The Chargers likely will need a repeat of last year's scenario, when they clinched the No. 6 playoff seed only after winning their last four games and watching as the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens each lost their final two.
That might be asking a lot this year. After home games against the winless archrival Raiders — who almost beat the Chargers in Oakland — and St. Louis, the schedule gets considerably tougher. The last five weeks include a trip to Baltimore, home games against New England and Denver, and road games against San Francisco and Kansas City.
Despite the crushing loss at Miami, Rivers said he thinks the team's mindset "is in a good place. ... We'll find out what we are made of. We've been in these situations over the last eight years plenty of times and we always fought with the character and toughness and the desire and heart that we thought we had. That doesn't mean we always came out on top and had great seasons. But we fought to the end and it's no time to panic at all.
"We are 5-4 and we are right there in the pack of a lot of teams and although we are not at the top of the pack, we are in a big pack."
Asked how the Chargers bounce back from the face-plant in Miami, safety Eric Weddle had some strong words.
"You look at yourself in the mirror first — what can I do better? It comes down to, how much do you love this game? Do you really want to sacrifice everything to have a chance to be a good team? And right now we got destroyed. That's as bad of a game I've ever been a part of and that was very humbling and I'm extremely disappointed in the way we came out today with so much on the line.
"But all you can do is go back and work harder, that's all I've ever known that's what I'll do. I'll push my guys as much as I possibly can and expect the most out of them and if they don't respond then they won't be on the field with me."
Coach Mike McCoy said the meltdown in Miami wasn't due to a lack effort, but did say some "loaf" plays showed up on film.
Asked to explain, he said: "It's every game. Every game there is going to be a play or two you are going to look at it, the pluses and minuses and you got to point those things out."
Inside linebacker Donald Butler has been mostly invisible despite signing a long-term contract with more than $11 million guaranteed. Although he leads the team in tackles, he hasn't had the kind of impact plays expected of him.
"Donald has made his fair share of plays from week to week and there are other things you've got to correct," McCoy said. "We are not putting this one player. We are all in this together, players, coaches included, we've got to do a better job."
The Chargers expect to get back some injured players. Among them is running back Ryan Mathews, who has been out since spraining his right knee in a home victory against Seattle in Week 2. Mathews returned to practice just before the Miami game and expects to be able to play against Oakland.
Outside linebacker Melvin Ingram is eligible to return after the bye week. He was placed on injured reserve-designated for return with a hip injury during Week 2.
It's unknown when inside linebacker Manti Te'o will return. He's been out since fracturing his right foot in a win at Buffalo in Week 3 and hasn't returned to practice.
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