The Chargers’ top wideout didn’t mince words following the loss.
When Keenan Allen took the podium following the team’s 27-24 loss to the Patriots, every bit of his emotions were already written on his face.
Allen, who finished the game with six receptions on 11 targets for 77 yards and a score, looked outright downtrodden following a game that he would eventually say the Chargers “should have won.”
“(The) frustration with me is, every year — it’s the same thing every year — beating ourselves — same thing over and over.”
#Chargers WR Keenan Allen said “they didn’t do anything that stopped us.”
He says it was the penalties and themselves that led to the loss. pic.twitter.com/5xitoQHB4I
— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) October 31, 2021
Despite the Chargers scoring on two of their first three drives of the day, they would go on to experience a scoring drought that lasted until the team’s final drive of the night. Following the second score of the game — Allen’s second of the year — this is how the Chargers’ drives went until Herbert found Joshua Palmer for his first touchdown of his young career:
- Punt
- Punt
- Interception
- End of half
- Punt
- Field Goal
- Interception returned for a touchdown
- Punt
Of those drives, not including the half expiring, three of them were three-and-outs, two others went four plays, and two more went for just six. It would be frustrating for any offensive player to continuously get forced off the field before every really getting started, but Allen didn’t exactly help himself in that regard tonight with a pair of drops.
The first one, however, was at least somewhat understandable. Allen wrapped his hands around the ball for a first-down conversion over the middle but a Patriots defensive back shoved his helmet into his gut during the tackle which ended up poking the ball loose.
The second blunder by Allen was another uncharacteristic play in which he let a would-be first down float right through his hands. The play came on the drive immediately following Herbert’s pick-six in what was a must-convert situation.
So while I have absolutely no problem with Allen calling out his team and all the negative luck that seems to constantly surround them, I hope he is still aware of how much his own drops and mistakes have hurt the offense this season.