Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Justin Herbert walk off the field after a 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 13, 2026, at SoFi Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Justin Herbert walk off the field after a 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 13, 2026, at SoFi Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
LANG sports reporter Elliott Teaford
LANG sports reporter Elliott Teaford
The goals aren’t what they were back in July and August and September, when all things seemed possible for the Chargers. Adjustments have been made in recent days and weeks. New goals have been established after six consecutive defeats all but eliminated so many possible outcomes.
In fact, one goal remains.
“Win the day” might elicit laughter from outsiders, but it’s become a sacred tenet around the Chargers’ El Segundo headquarters since Jim Harbaugh was hired as coach in 2024. “Who has it better than us?” is another. “An enthusiasm unknown to mankind” is just one more.
What became obvious during the Chargers’ bye week and in their preparation for Sunday’s game against the Rams at SoFi Stadium is that the team, coaching staff and executives had one goal remaining. It’s an obvious one, but one that’s been elusive as the losses have mounted.
Win.
“We’re playing for something regardless of what everybody else believes,” Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley said this week. “Let’s just say this season isn’t how we wanted it to go, but we can still make it hard for everybody to beat us, you know? We can become a harder team to beat.
“And that’s kind of where we have to be because when you become a harder team to beat and people don’t want to face you and it’s not an easy win, it becomes more about us. We’ve just got to be competitors at the end of the day. Like (Harbaugh) always says, ‘Competitors welcome.’”
Henley then paused for only a beat before he added, “So, that’s where we are. It’s not just about not going out there and laying down for anybody. So, we’ve got to go out there week to week, day to day and make sure we’re competing, and we’re not just out there for no reason.”
After losses to the Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, the Chargers are the last winless team in the NFL. They have gone from playoff contender for the third season in a row to the top candidate for the No. 1 pick in the draft.
It’s been an ugly and unexpected nosedive for all concerned.
One victory could set the Chargers on a course correction.
Or so they believe.
It’s an athlete’s duty to think positively. It’s an observer’s duty to cite the facts.
No team has rebounded from an 0-6 start to make the playoffs. That’s a fact.
Meetings were held, practices were conducted and everybody took a beat.
“Using everybody’s talent, everybody’s brainpower, everybody’s competitive spirit, everybody’s will to win to help us improve, to help us win,” Harbaugh said as the Chargers got back to work in Week 8 to prepare for the Rams. “That’s what we need to do. We need to win. It starts with today.”
Mike McDaniel, the Chargers’ beleaguered offensive coordinator, could reward Harbaugh’s faith and trust in him with a victory Sunday over the Rams. Heck, even a more productive, more efficient showing from quarterback Justin Herbert and the offense could change the narrative that firing Greg Roman and hiring McDaniel has proved to be a big mistake.
The Chargers are averaging a league-low 15 points per game, something that must change if they are to rally for a victory Sunday. The Rams are giving up an average of 22.7 points per game, 16th in the 32-team NFL. So, something’s got to give when the SoFi Stadium co-tenants face off.
It’s only the 14th time the teams have played each other since 1970.
The Rams hold a 7-6 lead in the series.
The Chargers won the last meeting, 31-10, on Jan. 1, 2023.
Jobs are at stake Sunday and, most likely, every week until the season’s end.
McDaniel has retained his position as offensive coordinator and will continue to call plays.
For now, anyway.
“I don’t feel entitled to anything,” McDaniel said. “It’s super important to me that I’ve always approached my jobs in the NFL as a privilege that I’m not entitled to. So, I don’t want to be anything but holding a position because I’m the best person for the job. So, if whomever thinks that you’re better off with someone else, then this is not my entitled position.
“I came here to work with players and improve them and win football games and play good offense. You have a choice in the matter if you start below your expectations. It doesn’t mean you have to finish that way. It’s part of what makes the role in this league super special. You have to be accountable.”
When: 1:05 p.m. Sunday
Where: SoFi Stadium
TV/Radio: FOX (Ch. 11); 640 AM/103.9/98.3 FM (Spanish)