Maybe this is it.

Maybe this is what the end looks like.

In the end to the San Diego Chargers, a fan base so drained of losses and the politics of potential franchise relocation watches their team from home. Raiders fans stock Qualcomm Stadium instead, their silver-and-black shadow casting an almost eerie pall over a once brilliant rivalry.

Maybe this is what the end sounds like.


A stadium formerly filled with “M-V-P!” chants for LaDainain Tomlinson and Philip Rivers instead squawks those letters for opposing quarterback Derek Carr. Perhaps the loudest moment from the San Diego crowd — not just of the day but season — is the reaction to a desperation interception sealing a Chargers loss and Raiders playoff berth.

Maybe this is it.

Maybe this is the end.

The thought weighed on Rivers on Sunday as he walked down a stadium hallway, bound for the parking lot, headed home after what he called “the home game that wasn’t.” His Chargers, if that’s what they’ll be called next year, lost in San Diego, if that’s where they’ll play, by a 19-16 score.


But this day wasn’t about the loss.

It was about a franchise that so clearly has lost its way.

“I know nothing,” Rivers said with a sigh, “but it’s what is shaping up to be a sad, sad ending to 55 years, if what could happen, happens. And I hate that. And it may not; shoot, maybe we’re here for another 55. I don’t know. I’m just saying, if it is, some of the way it’s coming to is pretty gross.”

Rivers seldom wears pain.


Not publicly.

He and Comic-Con each summer are the closest San Diego comes to an actual Iron Man. The Chargers quarterback made Sunday his 175th consecutive career start. He has pushed past injury in that span, such as in early 2008, when days removed from arthroscopic surgery, he suited up despite a torn anterior cruciate ligament on a freezing, windy afternoon at New England.

Back injury. Rib injury. You name it.

He’s taken his shots.


1 / 27 Rudy Flores (left) and Josh Casillas (right) remain behind after the San Diego Chargers lost to the Oakland Raiders in the final few minutes in the 4th quarter. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 27 Chris Hubbs uses his Chargers flag to help get fans pumped up during their match up against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 27 Chargers cheerleaders kept the fans going against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 27 Chargers cheerleaders kept the fans going against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 27 Chargers cheerleaders kept the fans going against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 27 Chargers cheerleaders kept the fans going against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 27 Jose Estrada from San Diego wore gloves showing his support for the San Diego Chargers. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 27 A Raider fan dressed in black and silver watch as the Oakland Raiders played against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 27 At the game against the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders it was a sea of black and silver at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 27 George Myer watched as the San Diego Chargers played against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 27 Victor Romero uses his fingers to whistle for support at the San Diego Chargers game against the Oakland Raiders. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 27 Boatman meets with a Raiders fan at Qualcomm Stadium this Sunday. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 27 Chris Hubbs (l) and George Myer celebrate a Chargers score over their friend Mike Gutierrez who happens t be a Raiders fan. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 27 Woody Montano shows frustration against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 27 Before the Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders, Bolt Hawks Mark Dederian (l), John Farley (m) and Matt Farley pose for a photo taken by Chad Farley. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 27 Though there celebration was short lived, Chargers fans cheered as the Oakland Raiders were held from goal line from scoring in the 4th quarter. Left-to right, Matt Collins, Anthony Pozo, Renan Pozo, John Cuevas and Serena Cuevas. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 27 Rudy Flores shows signs of disappointment with the Chargers 2nd half against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 27 Chargers fans call for strong defense against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 27 Mitchell Pellegrin and his son Justin get fans fired up with calling for a strong defense against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 27 Sisters Sonia Cisneros (l) and Stephanie Cisneros (r) from Las Vegas came out to support the San Diego Chargers take on the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 27 Before the Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium, Bolt Hawks Mark Dederian (l), John Farley (m), Chad Farley and Matt Farley (r) enjoy their tailgate party before the game. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 27 Steven Salazar from Pico Reviera dressed in Oakland Raiders, Silver and black for the game at Qualcomm Stadium against the San Diego Raiders. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 27 Rudy Flores shows signs of disappointment with the Chargers 2nd half against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 27 Mercury Hornbeek from Imperial Beach arrived early to enjoy the tailgate party before the game match between the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 25 / 27 Left-to right, Matt Collins, Anthony Pozo, Renan Pozo and John Cuevas cheer on the San Diego Chargers in the 1st half against the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 26 / 27 Sisters Sonia Cisneros (l) and Stephanie Cisneros (r) from Las Vegas came out to support the San Diego Chargers take on the Oakland Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 27 / 27 Steven Salazar from Pico Reviera dressed in Oakland Raiders, Silver and black for the game at Qualcomm Stadium against the San Diego Raiders. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Yet nothing makes him grimace like losing, and having to witness in painstakingly slow motion a city possibly lose its team is a loss unlike any of his 13-year NFL career. How the situation has taken shape, as he said, is gross.

It could be considered gross that the Chargers felt compelled Sunday to skip pregame player introductions. Coach Mike McCoy explained the decision as wanting the team to come out together as one, as sending the message of “we’re sticking together through this fight,” he said.

That may be true.


No doubt, the pro-Raiders crowd was part of said fight. Boos would’ve drowned out any introductions from the stadium’s outdated speakers.

It also could be considered gross for Rivers to see a 5-9 team, despite his efforts and preparation, blow its seventh fourth-quarter lead of the season.

That was in part to the Chargers not beginning a drive beyond their own 26-yard line all afternoon. Four times, they started inside their own 10. Each time, the crowd pounded the offense’s eardrums, as Rivers was forced to be in the silent count on the vast majority of his shotgun snaps. This was the environment for which the Chargers prepared when blasting artificial crowd noise during their Wednesday, Thursday and Friday practices.

“It was a road game,” Rivers said.


The defense, despite the occasional gash allowed in the running game, did its job.

It helped keep the crowd from taking over the game entirely. Outside linebacker Melvin Ingram forced two fumbles, one of which outside linebacker Kyle Emanuel recovered. Ingram and defensive end Joey Bosa had sacks. Cornerback Trovon Reed intercepted Carr. A fourth-quarter goal-line stand held the Raiders to just a field goal after running back Kenneth Farrow fumbled at the Chargers’ 13-yard line. San Diego allowed just one touchdown all game, its two-minute defense failing before halftime when Carr found wide receiver Michael Crabtree on the edge of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown.

The crowd was its loudest late in the fourth quarter.

With 4:23 remaining, Carr needed 8 yards on third-and-8 with the teams tied at 16. He scrambled and earned those 8 to the Chargers’ 21-yard line. That sparked the “M-V-P!” chants.


Ingram’s sack three plays later forced the go-ahead field goal.

That left Rivers, after a 9-yard kickoff return from wide receiver Geremy Davis, to take possession at his own 14-yard line, again with the stadium rocking in the wrong direction, again under the silent count. He missed wide receiver Travis Benjamin on first down. He was sacked on second down. He was hit while throwing a third-down pass intended for wide receiver Dontrelle Inman.

On fourth down, he was under duress.

He made the only decision he could, forcing a ball downfield. The resulting interception from safety Reggie Nelson sent the 68,352-person crowd — well above the Chargers’ NFL-low average attendance of 55,488 – to produce its loudest applause of the afternoon.


On a Rivers interception.

Gross.

Maybe this is it. Maybe this is what the end is supposed to taste like.


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michael.gehlken@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutgehlken