Brandon Staley is fully on the hot seat. The Chargers coach had his team leading the Jaguars by 27 points in the wild-card round, and watched that lead dwindle away until Riley Patterson drilled a game-winning field goal to walk off Los Angeles.But as Staley faces added pre sure after the stunning defeat, his players are standing up for him. that Saturday's 31-30 lo s to the Jaguars should not be held against Staley, and affirmed belief in the team's coach."I love coach Staley," linebacker Drue Tranquill said, per the OC Register. "I think Paul Martin Jersey he's a very, very intelligent coach. When you're up 27-0, it doesn't really matter, the play calling. You've got to go out and execute as players, and we didn't do that. When you're up 27-0 in the NFL, it should be good enough. You're one of the top players in the world."MORE: Quarterback Justin Herbert affirmed the team's support for Staley, telling the OC Register that the team supports Staley and the front office "100 percent" and said he has the "respect of everyone on our team."Herbert said he would try to use his influence to keep Staley and the coaching staff together, saying he believed the team took a "big step" in 2022 and that he has "complete trust" in the staff and front Jimmy Hayes Kids Jersey office."He's genuine," Herbert said. "He's himself and we believe in him. He's been the same person he's been the past two years. It didn't go our way this year, but we took a big step forward. We believe in this coaching staff, this team. We've got the right pieces. We've just got to put them together and execute better."MORE: Running back Austin Ekeler also defended the coaching staff after the lo s, saying the game ultimately comes down to the players on the field."As players, we have to make the plays. I was telling my running backs coach Derrick Foster , 'You set everything up for me. I have to make the cut. You can't make the cut for me. I have to see Jarred Tinordi Kids Jersey what's in front of me. I have to make it happen,'" Ekeler said. "They put us in position to make the plays."Staley's first year in Los Angeles was undoubtedly a disappointment. The Chargers finished 9-8 despite a loaded offense with Herbert, receivers like Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, and Ekeler in the backfield. The Carter Rowney Jersey defense, however, was disappointing, finishing 29th in points allowed and 23rd in yards allowed.The Chargers invested a lot in the offseason to load up the roster and build a team that was supposed to take down Kansas City in the AFC West. They traded for Khalil Mack and signed J.C. Jackson, Kyle Van Noy, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson and others to re-tool the defense.But a number of injuries and disappointing performances led to only a marginal improvement on defense, which ranked 20th in yards and 21st in points, while the offense went from being a top-10 unit to ranking 13th in points. Los Angeles finished the season 10-7, and while it made its first playoff appearance, Antti Niemi Jersey it lost both games to the Chiefs and, of course, lost to Jacksonville to end the year.MORE: "That's my guy," safety Derwin James said of Staley. "He's put a lot into it. A lot of guys believe in him. I definitely believe in him. We're going to get it right. Everyone respects him. Everyone loves him. We didn't get it done for our fans, for our coaches and for ourselves. That's why it kind of hurts right now."Despite back-to-back winning seasons, Staley is on the hot seat, particularly as several high-profile coaching names like Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton have emerged as potential candidates to replace any fired coaches this offseason. But a vote of confidence from his players could go a long way.