The Los Angeles Chargers are still searching for their first win, but Jim Harbaugh made one thing clear after Sunday’s 30-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks: Mike McDaniel isn’t going anywhere.
After an 0-4 start, the Chargers have become one of the league’s early problem teams. They opened the season with losses to the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, and Buffalo Bills, and they had managed just 16 points or fewer in each of those first three games. The offense has taken plenty of heat, especially with first-year offensive coordinator McDaniel in the crosshairs after joining Harbaugh following his firing from the Miami Dolphins in January.
Harbaugh brushed off any talk that McDaniel’s role is in danger.
"Like our players, like... we have skilled coaches, and we're going to keep growing," Harbaugh said. "Oh no, no... his job is not in jeopardy. He's a skilled coach, and we’re going to keep growing."
Sunday did at least offer a better showing than the Chargers had put together earlier in the season. Los Angeles was limited to six points in the first half, but it also moved the ball more effectively than it had in previous weeks and actually finished with more total yards than Seattle, 301-286.
The ground game gave the Chargers something to build on. They ran for 147 yards and got a touchdown from Omarion Hampton on nine carries.
The passing game, though, is still not where the Chargers need it to be, and Justin Herbert’s numbers tell the story. He went 19 of 31 for 189 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions against Seattle.
Herbert entered the game with 627 passing yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. After Sunday, his touchdown-to-interception line sits at four touchdowns and six picks, an unusual stat line for the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback.
The Chargers will try to stop the slide next week when they host the 2-2 Denver Broncos in Week 5.
In Other News...
Seahawks Fans May Have A Week 4 Viewing Problem
The Seahawks get an early chance to test themselves against the AFC West this week, but fans outside the Pacific Northwest may have to do a little work to see it. Seattles matchup with the Chargers is set for CBS at 1:25 p.m. PT, and the regional broadcast footprint is limited, with coverage centered mostly on the Pacific Northwest and Southern California.
Andrew Catalon and Logan Ryan are on the call, and the timing is awkward for a fan base that will have to keep an eye on where the game lands before kickoff. The good news is that Seattle has several nationally televised games coming up, so this shouldnt be a season-long headache, but Week 4 could still leave plenty of viewers searching for an alternate plan. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Still Have One O-Line Problem They Havent Solved
The Seahawks did not do much to change the look of their offensive line this offseason, and that quiet approach has left one lingering question hanging over the roster. Their only notable addition was fifth-round pick Beau Stephens, a player who was viewed as a possible starter, but Seattle has kept him on the sideline and gone with Christian Haynes instead as it continues sorting out the interior of the line.
For a team trying to give its offense more stability, that decision keeps the spotlight on a spot that still feels unresolved. Even with Stephens in the mix, the Seahawks have not found a clean answer there yet, and one mock draft has already pushed the conversation forward by linking Seattle to interior lineman Kade Pieper in the 2027 NFL draft as a possible long-term fix. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Suddenly Has A New Reason For Hope
Zach Charbonnets return to practice gives the Seahawks a timely lift in a backfield that has been looking for stability early in the season. The second-year running back has been on the physically unable to perform list, but being designated to return opens the door for him to get back into game action as soon as Week 5, a welcome development for a team trying to sort out its rotation on the fly.
Seattles immediate plan still leans on Emanuel Wilson and George Holani at running back in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers, but the depth chart has already shifted again. Rookie Jadarian Price was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least four games, so the Seahawks are heading into the next stretch with one less option and at least some hope that Charbonnets comeback can eventually settle things down. [Read more 🡒]