https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/2023/12/25/chargers-giff-smith-austin-ekeler-easton-smith/

Gavino Borquez
December 25, 2023 5:05 pm PT

Amid the firings of Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco, Giff Smith relished
the role of the Chargers’ interim head coach and kept the team focused
during the nine days leading up to the game against the Bills on
Saturday night.

Smith’s message was clear to the players.

Even while they were missing starting quarterback Justin Herbert and
wide receiver Keenan Allen, Los Angeles went toe-to-toe with Buffalo.
They held the lead at various points in the game, including a 10-0 start.

Los Angeles looked inspired in all three phases, especially on offense,
led by running back Austin Ekeler, who rushed 15 times for 63 yards and
caught three of four targets for 21 yards.

“It was great,” Ekeler said, per the team’s official website. “Giff’s
done a great job keeping us together and making sure that he’s
implemented his message which is the family aspect of bringing everyone
together, play for each other … make sure you leave everything out there.

“When you do that, you’re going to be excited to go play again,” Ekeler
added. “That’s what we saw there and looking forward to playing for him
again next week.”

Making just his second NFL start, quarterback Easton Stick was sharp in
some of the throws he made. Stick finished 23 of 33 passes for 215
yards. He also had 25 rushing yards and a one-yard touchdown.

“He was awesome all week,” Stick said of Smith. “He told us that was the
plan going into it, let’s get this thing to the fourth quarter and find
a way to win it. Obviously, came up a little bit short.

But, the way that he rallied the guys this week, and you saw how hard we
played, that’s a credit to Giff and that’s a credit to the guys in the
locker room. He did an unbelievable job this week.”

Despite being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, one thing is
clear. Players are rallying behind Smith as they are set to finish the
last two games of the season under him.