Justin Herbert’s turnover total is becoming a problem for the Chargers, and Jim Harbaugh isn’t pretending otherwise.
Heading into Week 6, Herbert is sitting on seven interceptions, which ties him for the league lead. That number has become one of the clearest signs of how rough the Chargers’ start has been, especially with the team still searching for its first win of the season.
ESPN’s Anthony Gharib pointed to the bigger picture in the Week 6 preview, noting that Los Angeles has often been playing from behind. Harbaugh, though, framed the interceptions as part of a quarterback trying to force the issue.
"He's competing. Trying to help his team win.
There's definitely times where he's trying to make a play and too many times this season, there's been that desperation time," Harbaugh said, per Gharib. "That's what I'd attribute that to.
He's doing anything and everything he can."
Harbaugh is backing his quarterback, at least for now. But the team-wide picture is still ugly.
ESPN also noted that the Chargers’ defense has eight takeaways this season, tied for the fifth most in the NFL. That’s the most takeaways by an 0-5 team since the 2015 Lions, who had nine.
That’s the kind of stat line that tells you the problems run deeper than one player.
And now the Chargers have the Chiefs coming up, a team with Super Bowl aspirations and no interest in making life easier for a winless opponent. Los Angeles will need a much cleaner showing if it wants to turn Week 6 into anything other than another tough afternoon.
In Other News...
Chargers Offensive Collapse Is Fueling A Bigger Justin Herbert Debate
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All the while, the defense has done enough to keep the team from looking completely lost, which only sharpens the contrast on a side of the ball that was supposed to drive this season. With the offense still searching for answers and the losses piling up, the bigger conversation now includes whether a coaching change is coming before the disconnect gets even harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Kelce's Injury Leaves Chiefs Fans Watching One Big Concern
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Andy Reid confirmed afterward that Kelce played through an ankle issue, though he stopped short of saying how serious it was. Former NFL team doctor David Chao, viewing the injury on video, suggested it looked like a mild right high eversion ankle sprain, leaving the Chiefs with at least some immediate optimism and one lingering question about how long it might affect one of Patrick Mahomes most trusted targets. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Hit Bye Week With One Problem They Cant Ignore
The bye week arrived with the Chargers carrying far more frustration than relief after another loss to Kansas City. What stood out in the defeat was the gap between how the two sides of the ball performed. The defense did enough to keep the game from getting away, with Cam Hart's interception helping limit the Chiefs inside the red zone, while Quentin Johnston provided one of the few offensive sparks with a 57-yard catch.
Still, the bigger concern is impossible to miss heading into the break. The offense reached scoring position more than once and never found the end zone, leaving the Chargers searching for answers as they try to turn things around after a start they had not seen in a quarter century. Even with the defense showing some fight, the season's direction will be defined by whether the team can fix the problem that keeps showing up in the most important moments. [Read more 🡒]