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They received blue pin-striped, short-sleeved work shirts complete with embroidered name tags. Navy workman jackets appeared in the lockers of Chargers players. They added heavy duty work boots. To complete the Chargers’ blue-collar mentality, black lunch pails were recently dropped at every locker.
“Stalwart” was printed in bold white letters on the domed lid, a reminder of coach Jim Harbaugh’s message as the Chargers (8-5) push toward the playoffs.
“The culture that he’s trying to build around here,” edge rusher Joey Bosa said, “that we’re hard workers, that we come to work every single day, and it’s not always pretty.”
Coming off a disappointing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Chargers’ fortitude will be tested as they try to rebound against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday (1:25 p.m. PST) at SoFi Stadium.
The Buccaneers (7-6) have won three consecutive games to take control of the NFC South, combining the offense that has been among the NFL’s most explosive units all season with a defense that has yielded an average of 14.3 points in the last three games.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the offense with 28 passing touchdowns, which is tied for the most in the NFC, but has had 13 passes intercepted.
Playoff implications are on the line as the Bills visit the Lions, the Buccaneers visit the Chargers and the Eagles play host to the Steelers in Week 15.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has protected the ball at a historic rate — his 11 consecutive games without an interception is tied with Tom Brady for the longest single-season streak in NFL history — but is battling another ankle injury.
The star quarterback suffered a left ankle sprain against the Kansas City Chiefs last week and missed a day of practice this week, but is likely to play Sunday as he noted the latest injury felt less painful than the high-ankle sprain he played through earlier this season.
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Key injuries
Chargers: TE Will Dissly (shoulder, out); WR Jalen Reagor (finger, placed on IR); WR Ladd McConkey (knee/shoulder, questionable); LB Denzel Perryman (groin, questionable).
Buccaneers: WR Kameron Johnson (ankle, out); S Mike Edwards (hamstring, out); LB K.J. Britt (ankle, out); DB Josh Hayes (hamstring, questionable); RB Bucky Irving (back/hip, questionable); DB Christian Izien (groin, questionable); LB J.J. Russell (hamstring, questionable); WR Sterling Shepard (foot, questionable); OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (ankle, questionable).
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How to watch and listen to Chargers vs. Buccaneers
The Chargers and Buccaneers will play at 1:25 p.m. PST Sunday at SoFi Stadium. The game will air on Fox in Southern California and will be available nationally on YouTube TV with a subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket. In Southern California, fans can listen to the game on the radio at 98.7 FM and 105.5 FM.
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Betting lines for Chargers vs. Buccaneers
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Who will win Chargers vs. Buccaneers?
Thuc Nhi Nguyen’s pick: The Bucs are hot, but Baker Mayfield is prone to turnovers. It’s an ideal matchup for the ball-hawking Chargers. Chargers 23, Buccaneers 21
Sam Farmer’s pick: A lot depends on the health of Justin Herbert. Baker Mayfield is playing well for Tampa Bay, but the Buccaneers are really going to miss safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Chargers 21, Buccaneers 17
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