Mike McDaniel got through the Chargers’ bye week without being shown the door, but the seat under him is still scorching hot.
For now, the Los Angeles Chargers are sticking with their offensive coordinator as they head into a Week 8 meeting with the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. That silence during the bye mattered. It was the cleanest opening for Jim Harbaugh to make a move, and around the league, coordinators who are about to be dismissed usually don’t make it past that point.
So McDaniel lives to see another week. That hardly reads like a full endorsement.
The Chargers brought him in with big plans this offseason, expecting his creativity to pair with Justin Herbert and push a team that had already stacked back-to-back 11-win seasons into true AFC contender territory. Instead, the offense has cratered. Los Angeles sits as the league’s lowest-scoring unit, Herbert has already thrown eight interceptions, and the Chargers are sitting at the top of the draft order rather than anywhere near the top of the AFC West.
There are real excuses on the injury report. The offensive line has been chopped up by injuries to Rashawn Slater, Tyler Biadasz, and Trey Pipkins III, leaving the front in a constant state of shuffling. Ladd McConkey, Herbert’s most reliable target, has also dealt with rib and foot issues and most recently suffered a concussion against Kansas City.
And yet the defense has done its part. It ranks eighth in EPA per play and is among the league leaders in takeaways, which only puts a harsher spotlight on the offense’s inability to hold up its end.
There is at least a little hope that the next stretch could look different. Scott Matlock and Branson Taylor have both been activated from injured reserve, and a healthier line would give McDaniel something he has lacked all season: stability.
But the Rams are coming in with momentum after a 35-21 road win over the Raiders that moved them to 3-4, and this game has enough local edge to make the result feel bigger than a normal midseason matchup.
A rough showing would be difficult to shrug off. A seventh loss would only deepen the noise around the Chargers, raise fresh questions about whether this season can still be salvaged, and intensify the debate over who should take the blame if it can’t.
General manager Joe Hortiz has already said the Chargers will stand pat ahead of the November 10 trade deadline, even with other teams calling about the roster. For now, that signals patience. But in a season that has already gone sideways, patience can disappear fast.
In Other News...
Chargers Face A Bigger Derwin James Problem Than Fans Expected
Derwin James absence was already a concern for the Chargers defense, but the latest update makes the situation more complicated than a simple week-to-week wait. The All-Pro safety has been working back from a hamstring injury, and head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed there has been a setback in the rehab process, leaving Los Angeles to keep adjusting its back end while other players continue to absorb James responsibilities.
What had looked like a short-term issue now carries a much longer timeline, and that matters for a defense that leans on James versatility and presence. The Chargers are preparing for upcoming games without much clarity on when hell return, and the possibility of a move to injured reserve only adds to the uncertainty around how long they may have to make do without one of their most important defenders. [Read more 🡒]
Quentin Johnstons Chargers Future Suddenly Feels Far Less Certain
Quentin Johnstons name has started to surface in an unexpected place as the Chargers season has gone sideways. ESPN reporters Matt Bowden and Jeremy Fowler recently slotted the wide receiver among the leagues more plausible trade candidates ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline, a notable development for a player who has flashed real talent but has also battled inconsistency and drops while trying to settle into a bigger role.
For a Chargers team still sorting out its long-term direction after a difficult start, Johnston now feels like one of the more intriguing pieces on the board. The idea of a move is not hard to imagine, either, with several teams around the league paying attention to the situation and the Chargers left to weigh whether his upside is worth holding onto or whether a change of scenery might make more sense. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Trade Deadline Approach Raises A Bigger Question At 0-6
With the November 10 trade deadline approaching, the Chargers find themselves in an awkward spot no team wants to occupy: winless at 0-6 and still trying to decide whether to sell off pieces or keep pushing toward a turnaround. The record alone has invited plenty of speculation, but the latest read from around the league suggests Los Angeles is not rushing to put anyone on the block.
Tom Pelissero reported the Chargers have not shown much interest in trading players right now, a sign the organization still believes there is a path back into the season. One of the clearest indicators is Ladd McConkey, who is expected to remain in Los Angeles through the rest of the year and continue as a central part of the offense alongside Justin Herbert. [Read more 🡒]