Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley has hailed his side for clinching a playoff berth but made it clear it is "just the beginning" for the team.
A first playoff spot for the Chargers since 2018 was clinched with a 20-3 victory against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday, marking only the second venture into the postseason since the franchise returned to Los Angeles from San Diego.
However, Staley has his sights set on more significant goals as he looks to steer the Chargers all the way to Super Bowl glory – something that has evaded the franchise in their history, having made only one appearance in 1994 when they suffered defeat against the San Francisco 49ers.
"It's just the beginning; this is not our final goal," he told reporters.
"I'm really proud of how this season has gone for our football team and what we've been able to demonstrate to make it into the postseason. That's what I'm most proud of, not that we did it but how we made it, what it took for us to get in, but this is just the beginning for us.
"The reason why we're here is because of the men on our football team. We've got the make-up to withstand the type of season that we've had. We wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the toughness of our football team.
"For far too long, people have talked about the talent and organisation but that's ultimately not what gets you where you want to go. You have to prove your toughness, and that's what we've proven so far this year.
"Our season is not over. We have two more games against really good teams and we need to play our best football so we not only get into the playoffs but so that we can make a run to a Super Bowl championship, which is what we want."
The Chargers' playoff berth is the first of Justin Herbert's career and, while he was proud of the achievement, he backed the defense for their performance and believes there is more to come from his side of the team.
"We've dealt with our fair share of adversity. The story of the day was the defense, stepping up and getting those stops in. There's plenty of room for improvement with our offense but it's a good sign of things to come," he said after the game.
"Some games that didn't go our way last year, but we were able to learn from that and fix it. I think the guys in the locker room deserve that. They've worked so hard and earned it. I think the Chargers operation have done a great job in the past few years."