LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr.'s eyes welled up with tears as he spoke following the Chargers' playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars two seasons ago.

"I've been playing football for 21 years, and I ain't ever felt like this," he said.

It was one of the most embarrassing losses in NFL history, where the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 31-30 loss. Outside linebacker Joey Bosa lost his temper amid the team's meltdown, with three penalties including two for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Bosa's third penalty came late in the fourth quarter when he slammed his helmet into the ground in frustration after Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Christian Kirk. Bosa slammed his helmet a second time after coach Brandon Staley handed it back to him.

In the weeks following the loss, outside linebacker Khalil Mack says he mulled retirement. It was a complete humiliation of a team and a defense featuring three of the best players at their positions -- and a familiar disappointing theme for the Chargers.

James, Mack and Bosa -- together since the 2022 season -- remain the pillars of the Chargers' defense two years later, and are also among the NFL's most decorated players. The trio has combined 17 Pro Bowl selections, and each member ranks among the highest-paid players at their position in NFL history.

Yet, in three seasons together, they have combined for little team success: zero playoff wins and a defense that entered this season having been among the league's worst. The latter part of the paradigm has shifted this season, as the Chargers possessed the league's best scoring defense in 2024. The wild-card playoff game against the Houston Texans (Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, CBS) could be this triumvirate's last shot to avoid their time together being remembered as a disappointment.

"It's one of those rare opportunities, rare situations, where we got the right group of people together. What are we going to do?" Mack, 33, told ESPN. "We ain't got no time to waste. Especially me. We gotta win now."

THE 2023 SEASON seemed as if it might be the end for this group. The Chargers finished 5-12, fired Staley and general manager Tom Telesco, and were more than $50 million over the league's salary cap.

Bosa and Mack, two of the team's highest-paid players, were among the most likely candidates to be released or traded as cap casualties. In a surprising move, general manager Joe Hortiz ultimately got both back on reduced contracts.

Mack, who had finished with a career-high 17 sacks in one of the best statistical seasons of his career, wasn't wholly sold on returning to the Chargers. He was excited by coach Jim Harbaugh but didn't want to be a part of another five-win season. While Mack mulled his options, he and Harbaugh discussed his future in L.A. on a phone call.

"I ain't trying to play another six more years, then start piggybacking on motherf---ers, jumping on a playoff team and trying to chase one," Mack said. "I want to play meaningful football and I communicated that to him."

Instead of an immediate yes, Mack remembers Harbaugh taking a moment to answer and breaking down the Chargers roster player by player. Harbaugh told Mack that they would need six or seven "guys" [high-impact players] on each side of the ball, and that the Chargers could get to that number with Mack and additional free agents and draft picks.

Harbaugh's candor about the state of the Chargers surprised Mack. The way Harbaugh categorically explained the path for the Chargers to contend this season helped Mack understand why Harbaugh has been so successful.

"He's not the type of dude to lie to you. And I've been lied to before," Mack said with a smile. "I respected it, man."

Bosa was in a different spot. Drafted by the Chargers in 2016, Bosa had gone from being the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history in 2020 to struggling to stay healthy. The 2023 season was another injury-marred one in which he was limited to nine games. Still, Bosa didn't want to leave the Chargers and that made for an easy decision when the organization asked him to take a pay cut.

"I wanted another shot with the guys in this room, especially Khalil," Bosa, 29, said. "Winning football games is more important to me right now than making some extra money."

The 28-year-old James was coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, the first season he had not been named a Pro Bowler when playing at least 16 games. As he watched the offseason unfold with Chargers mainstays not returning -- wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and running back Austin Ekeler -- James was grateful for an opportunity for redemption with Mack and Bosa back.

"Every day, I take the field, man, I want to do it for Mack and Joey," James told ESPN. "I know why Mack came back. Mack could have went anywhere bro, like he had an All-Pro year last year. But that's why I'm trying to do it -- for them boys."

IN THE CHARGERS' Week 16 win over the Denver Broncos, James and Mack got into an argument. The Broncos rushing offense had been dominating the Chargers defense, so much so that television cameras caught the words "RUN IT" written on Broncos coach Sean Payton's playcall sheet. James yelled at Mack for not being in the proper position on one of the many runs the Broncos rattled off. Mack yelled back with expletives, explaining that he was in the right. When Mack finished, James replied, "Oh yeah. I needed that big bro. Let's go."

"I'm like, 'What the f---?'" Mack said while laughing. "I never heard him say that before, but I was like, 'alright.'"

While James' response was surprising for Mack, the initial interaction wasn't. Bosa, James, and Mack often yell at each other for mistakes in games or practice, which they say sets a standard across the defense that the Chargers haven't always had.

"We know where we want to be and those uncomfortable moments are going to make us special," James said. "I've been on teams where you can't say certain things to certain players. That's half of the battle right there. If you ain't doing it right, somebody is going to let you know."

"It's just nice to be able to feel free in communicating with the group," Bosa said. "You don't have to walk on eggshells or be careful to call somebody out or do anything like that. You're close when you can give each other their hard time and all just laugh about it together."

James would go on to make one of the biggest plays of the game shortly after his dispute with Mack. With the Chargers down 24-19 and 1:32 remaining in the third quarter, James delivered a thundering hit to Broncos running back Javonte Williams that forced a punt. Mack said he realized in that game that James "needs you to cuss him out a little bit."

Though it took Mack three seasons to learn about the positive impact of cursing James out, they each have a general idea of what motivates each other. For Bosa, it can be Mack talking trash about opponents being better than Bosa. For Mack, it could be anything from a question from a reporter to quotes from players on other teams.

One that stands out to Mack this year was in Week 3 when the Chargers played the Steelers. In the days leading up to the game, Pittsburgh tackle Dan Moore Jr. told reporters that Mack was a "solid rusher."

"I'm like, 'Bet. He forgot who I am?' [I] cooked his ass," said Mack, who had a sack and a season-high five quarterback pressures in the game.

So far, this has been the trio's best season together. The Chargers finished with the NFL's best scoring defense, allowing 17.7 points per game, the first time they have reached that feat since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. James has returned to his place as one of the top safeties in the NFL, with a career-high 5.5 sacks this season, earning his fourth Pro Bowl selection. Mack and Bosa have battled injuries this season and don't have the gaudy stats they've had in past years, but Mack has at least six sacks for the 10th season in his career and was named to his ninth Pro Bowl. Bosa played in the most games (14) since Mack arrived in Los Angeles and has five sacks this season.

"Everyone wants to make it right by them, make them proud," quarterback Justin Herbert said of the veteran defenders.

The Chargers will be in a similar spot at the season's conclusion to the one they were in last season, with the option of moving on from Mack and Bosa. Mack will be a free agent and Bosa will have year left on his contract with no guaranteed salary. This playoff run could be their last shot at accomplishing the goal of a Super Bowl that they've set out and failed to do the previous three seasons.

"We take pride in being the best man," James said. "This is my fourth Pro Bowl. I been All-Pro. I done been the highest paid safety in the league. I'm trying to win a Super Bowl. I want to win a Super Bowl."