The Los Angeles Chargers look in trouble after Sunday’s 26-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, which pushed the club to 0-2 to start the season. Despite the dismal start, Jim Harbaugh remained positive.
"I'm not deterred," Harbaugh said via ESPN. "No one in that locker room is deterred."
The Chargers were supposed to romp over two rebuilding teams to open the season. Instead, they began the year with back-to-back upset losses at home.
It wasn’t just bad; it was 100 years in the making bad for L.A. According to Opta Stats, the Chargers are the second team in NFL history to lose back-to-back games by double digits, with both coming at home against teams that had a sub-.200 win percentage the previous season. The other was the 1926 Racine Tornadoes (Oct. 10-17), who played just one more game before folding.
Everything looks disjointed for the Chargers. Justin Herbert doesn’t look comfortable under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. The offensive line, once again, continues to struggle. Turnovers plague the unit. The defense has been pushed around, particularly up front, hasn’t done enough to disrupt the QB, and the secondary has gotten picked apart.
"There's no time for us to be patient with how we're playing," Herbert said. "It's not good enough, so we have to be better."
In the second straight 26-14 loss, Herbert struggled to find consistency. Sunday, he finished 15 for 27 for 192 yards with a TD and two INTs. Omarion Hampton's fourth-quarter fumble sealed the team’s loss. For the rotten cherry on top, Pro Bowl right tackle Joe Alt, who struggled all game with penalties, was called for a hold in the end zone, giving the Raiders a safety.
"We'll look at the tape. We'll go back to work. That's all I know how to do," Harbaugh said.
The first two games were important for the Chargers to get off on a good foot, because a menacing gauntlet lies ahead. Starting with Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills, L.A. faces 2025 playoff teams in five of their next seven games – the other two squads: Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs and Lamar Jackson’s Ravens.
Either the Chargers will devolve and wash out before Thanksgiving, or they’ll barnstorm their difficult stretch and prove Harbaugh correct.
Defensive back Derwin James took a fiery approach after Sunday’s disappointing loss.
"We got to look each other in the eye, man, and just tell the truth, and just get better," James said. "Because right now, that s--- just looks trash. I'm angry, but being angry don't fix anything."
The Chargers have a lot to fix, quickly.