The lights will likely be shiny, the stage monumental and the vibe electrical because the Chargers make their third prime-time look in 4 video games.
Monday evening. On the New York Jets. ESPN/ABC.
Bolt Up, child! Ah, good day, Bolt Up, perhaps?
“It doesn’t matter prefer it used to,” Eleventh-year vast receiver Keenan Allen mentioned. “You used to get psyched up for it figuring out it was an enormous sport, the one sport on TV and all that. Now, it’s simply one other sport.”
However, Keenan, you’ll have the eyes of all the NFL!
“You form of turn out to be numb to the scenario and deal with all of them the identical.”
The Monday Evening Soccer matchup in opposition to the Jets is “simply one other sport” to a veteran equivalent to Chargers wideout Keenan Allen.
(Kyusung Gong / For The Instances)
Come on, it’s “Monday Evening Soccer.”
“Similar as taking part in in L.A., 1 o’clock within the afternoon.”
However it’s New York!
“It’s a soccer stadium.”
OK, for the report, it’s New York-adjacent, MetLife Stadium sitting in New Jersey and serving because the shared house of the Jets and Giants.
When scheduled months in the past, this sport was alleged to be a showcased battle of franchise quarterbacks. That buildup has since fallen from A (Aaron) to Z (Zach).
As an alternative of future Corridor of Farmer Aaron Rodgers, Justin Herbert will likely be matched in opposition to Zach Wilson, who simply two months in the past didn’t appear to have a future in any respect.
Then Rodgers injured his Achilles tendon within the Jets’ season opener, and Wilson changed the person introduced in to switch him.
Largely due to the presence of Herbert, the Chargers stay one of many league’s most related groups, explaining their current close to residency in America’s front room.
They misplaced to Dallas on a Monday evening three weeks in the past earlier than beating Chicago on Sunday evening final weekend.
The Chargers are scheduled to play three extra prime-time video games after this one, giving publicity to their gamers if not chill bumps to their veterans.
“At this stage of my profession, I’m taking part in for legacy,” Tenth-year edge rusher Khalil Mack mentioned. “It’s so much greater than Monday evening or Sunday evening. I’m taking part in for wins and being impactful on the sport.”
Added Mack after a pause: “The lights are the lights. You attempt to carry out with ’em or with out ’em.”
Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) has performed many nationally televised video games below the lights.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Instances)
To make sure, the Chargers must carry out in opposition to the Jets. They’re 3-4 and want victories, notably in opposition to the AFC and on the highway.
They’ve already misplaced convention video games to Miami, Tennessee and Kansas Metropolis and have house dates remaining in opposition to Detroit, Baltimore, Buffalo and the Chiefs.
If the Chargers are going to rally from their middling begin and make a playoff push, they virtually definitely might want to win away from SoFi Stadium, particularly in opposition to opponents equivalent to the 4-3 Jets, who’re the underdogs Monday.
New York’s offensive line has been ravaged by damage, and the crew ranks final within the NFL in third-down and red-zone conversion charge.
However the Jets additionally simply restricted the Giants to minus-nine web yards passing and haven’t permitted an opposing quarterback to throw for 300 yards in 25 video games. They’ve additionally gained three in a row.
“Now we have to be prepared for no matter they create pressure-wise, coverage-wise,” Herbert mentioned. “They do a number of nice issues on protection.”
Even when Allen and Mack aren’t decidedly extra juiced up, this sport does deliver added significance for at the least a few their teammates. Cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day are going house.
Taylor grew up a couple of 45-minute drive — “relying on site visitors,” he mentioned — from MetLife Stadium, a spot the place he has watched video games however by no means had the chance to play.
Having attended highschool in Brick Township, N.J., Taylor estimated he’ll have near 30 members of the family and associates on the sport.
“It’s going to be a particular evening,” he mentioned. “I’ve at all times had a number of assist from Jersey.”
Joseph-Day grew up slightly greater than an hour away, in Pennsylvania. He then went to Rutgers, which performs its house video games in Piscataway, N.J.
“This one means the world to me,” Joseph-Day mentioned. “It’s exhausting being away out of your family and friends on a regular basis. Having my [5-month-old] son now, it makes me actually admire these moments much more.”
Admitting he’ll be feeling elevated emotion, Joseph-Day mentioned that, as soon as the sport begins, he’ll settle into his common routine. Not that this matchup will likely be something resembling routine.
“It’s not simply going house,” Joseph-Day mentioned. “It’s an enormous sport, too. We’d like this sport, you recognize? We’d like this sport for positive. I believe everybody on this locker room feels that manner.”
With the private stakes heightened, Taylor was requested which crew he grew up rooting for — the Jets or the Giants.
“Am I allowed to say that?” he requested in return.
“I used to be an Eagles followers,” Taylor mentioned. “The Jets and Giants weren’t doing good on the time and Philly was closest. So I took the Eagles.”
On Monday evening, they’ll all take the Chargers in prime time, in a sport which means extra to some and the identical to others and every thing to the group as a complete.
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