Consistency in the NFL is perhaps the toughest thing to replicate. Any player or group can have a good game.
The challenge is putting together a string of two, four, eight or 17 — choose any number, really — strong games that define who you are.
The Chargers have shown that ability throughout the 2025 season.
From Weeks 1 through 7, the Bolts only produced one game in the top 10 of defensive EPA per play. But in Weeks 8 through 18, Minter’s group had seven such instances, including three immediately after a Week 12 bye.
“I’ve talked about this a lot, but I think it’s about trying to peak at the right time. I think at the bye week, I don’t think a lot of people winning the next four games against the schedule that was out there,” Minter said of games against the Raiders, Eagles, Chiefs and Cowboys.
“I think there were predictions that we might not make the playoffs at that point. I feel good that we’re capable of going on a stretch and winning multiple games in a row, which you have to do this time of year to get where you want to go,” Minter added.
The Chargers are the AFC’s No. 7 seed as the NFL playoffs begin, meaning a date with the second-seeded Patriots and quarterback Drake Maye on Sunday night.
Yes, Justin Herbert has been elite all season, displaying a toughness that helped get the Chargers into the postseason. But the Bolts offense ranked 20th in EPA per play (-0.019) this season as the group battled injuries and attrition.
If the Chargers want to make a deep playoff run, the defense might need to lead the way.
Derwin James, Jr. recently delivered a similar message to his teammates.
“I told the guys to give me a month of your life,” James said. “Give each other a month of your life. We can make a difference. Just lock in for a month and win some games.”
But for all of the Chargers gaudy regular-season stats — the Bolts ranked in the top five in yards allowed per game, third-down defense, red-zone defense and first downs allowed per game — players know none of that matters if they can’t deliver in the postseason.
“That’s the whole point,” Khalil Mack said. “You can be great in the regular season but it has to translate over to the postseason. That’s the mark of a great team.”
Veteran cornerback Donte Jackson went into detail on what mark the Chargers defense wants to leave.
“It’s definitely one of those ones that’s we want to always be remembered,” Jackson said. “I think the thing that sticks out the most is just like how selfless guys are, man.
“We just have a bunch of guys who are just selfless, who just want to be a part of a great defense no matter what their role is,” Jackson continued. “That is a big thing when you’re talking about reaching the heights that you want to reach.
“When you’re looking at championship defenses, from the Legion of Booms to the Broncos defense they had those years back, everybody just played for each other,” Jackson added. “I think you see a lot of those similarities, for sure.”
