Around a 0-6 bye week, the Chargers’ problems are easy to spot. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has taken plenty of heat for the complexity of the scheme and whether the right talent is in place to run it.
But there’s a tougher question hanging over Los Angeles right now: is Jim Harbaugh actually making Justin Herbert worse?
That idea has been gaining traction, and it isn’t limited to the Chargers’ current mess. The concern traces back to 2024, when Harbaugh’s influence over Herbert’s production started to look more troubling.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando put Harbaugh under the lens while sorting through the Chargers’ issues, and his numbers tell the story clearly: “Herbert ranked seventh in expected points added per pass play under two other head coaches and three offensive coordinators across his first four seasons. He ranks 23rd under Harbaugh, and the trend is unmistakable (12th in 2024, 21st last season and 32nd this season).”
That drop is hard to ignore. Yes, there are other places to point the finger - the franchise as a whole, general manager Joe Hortiz, and the way the roster has been assembled. But Harbaugh is part of that process, too.
He also played a major role in steering the offense in a direction that clearly hasn’t helped Herbert. Harbaugh brought in his friend Greg Roman and kept him in place for multiple years, putting Herbert in a conservative system that leaned too heavily on the quarterback to make something out of nothing.
The offensive line choices haven’t helped either. Harbaugh showed an unusual loyalty to players like Bradley Bozeman in the middle of the line, and that decision has been part of the bigger problem.
Now Harbaugh has gone the other way, stepping outside his comfort zone and making a sweeping move by hiring McDaniel. That may be an understandable attempt to fix the damage, but it’s also a reaction to mistakes that came before it.
Herbert deserves blame for some of this, too. So does the larger organization, and especially Hortiz.
Still, Harbaugh’s role in Herbert’s regression feels like it’s being glossed over. A few years ago, nobody would have expected the Chargers’ star quarterback to be trending backward from the Brandon Staley era.
In Other News...
Chargers Winless Start Puts Omarion Hampton Decision Under Fire
With the Chargers still searching for their first win, the attention around their backfield has started to sharpen, especially when it comes to Omarion Hampton. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said the way Hampton is being used is tied to game situations, which is the kind of answer teams lean on when they want to keep the discussion focused on the bigger picture rather than one players workload. In a season where every decision gets magnified, that explanation matters because the Chargers do not have much room for second-guessing.
McDaniels point fits the broader tone around the division, where coaches are trying to steady things without making drastic moves. Sean Payton has said he is not planning to bench Bo Nix and wants his team to keep improving, while Andy Reid has expressed full confidence in Harrison Butker as the Chiefs kicker works through his issues. For the Chargers, the question around Hampton is less about whether he belongs in the plans and more about how long the current usage pattern holds if the losses keep piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Seem To Be Delaying One Offensive Decision Fans Feared
The Chargers bye week has brought some much-needed breathing room after an 0-6 start, but it has not brought clarity on the offense. Mike McDaniel was seen at practice on Tuesday, a sign that he remains in place for now even as the units struggles have only intensified the questions around him.
There has been no official coaching change from the Chargers, and the team is using the week off to take a hard look at what has gone wrong. Jim Harbaugh is still evaluating the offense and has not ruled out a future change, leaving the situation open-ended as the Chargers try to decide whether patience or a reset is the better move. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Enter Bye Week With One Problem They Cant Ignore
The Chargers head into the bye week with little room to pretend the problem is anything other than the offense. After six straight losses and an 0-6 start, the team has slipped near the bottom of the NFL conversation, and the recent defeat only sharpened the sense that the break has arrived at a necessary moment. Injuries and turnovers have chipped away at the units consistency, leaving Los Angeles searching for answers before the schedule tightens again.
Jim Harbaugh has already signaled that the offense has to be evaluated, which makes the next stretch feel especially important for a team that still has to face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. The larger question now is how much change follows that evaluation, because the Chargers cannot afford to let the bye week pass without finding a cleaner path forward. Whether that means adjustments, role changes, or something more significant, the pressure to respond is only growing. [Read more 🡒]