The Chargers headed into halftime trailing the Titans 19-14 on Sunday, but they came out of the locker room on fire and dominated the second half on the way to a 33-25 win. After the game, several Chargers players credited a fiery halftime speech from head coach Norv Turner for changing their mindset.
Chargers tight end Antonio Gates told XX Sports Radio that Turner shed tears in addressing the team.
“When I saw Norv crying, I knew it was real,” Gates said, per SportsRadioInterviews.com. “This means the world to him. That spoke volumes and it worked. Not to say that guys didn’t believe up to that point, but I think he made himself clear.”
Turner doesn’t usually come across like a Vince Lombardi or Knute Rockne type of inspirational leader, but Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said after the game that Turner hit all the right notes.
“What he said was spot on,” Rivers said, per the San Diego Union Tribune. “It was felt from the first player to the equipment guys. It was dead-on perfect. That’s not to say he hasn’t been dead-on in the past. But it was the timing and emotion and the way it hit.”
For his part, Turner tried to downplay the importance of the speech.
“I know what’s going to happen,” Turner said. “People are going to make a big deal out of it.”
The second half of the Titans game was some of the best football the 3-5 Chargers have played this season. If the speech gets the Chargers to play winning football the rest of the way, then people should make a big deal out of it.
