The start of the season has been far from what the Los Angeles Chargers expected. Not only because of their 0-2 record, but also because of the level of play shown by Justin Herbert and the team. Jim Harbaugh is a coach who knows how to weather major storms, and his mindset has him refusing to throw in the towel just yet.
“I’m not deterred,” Harbaugh said, via ESPN. “No one in that locker room is deterred.” Those words include Herbert himself, who, following the loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, made it clear that there is no more room for error.
“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.” The frustration is evident among the Bolts, but the only way forward is to keep working and turn things around on the field.
One noteworthy detail is that the Chargers have failed to make the most of playing at home. They lost to the Arizona Cardinals in the season opener and then suffered the aforementioned defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders. SoFi Stadium is clearly no longer a fortress for this team.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Los Angeles Chargers looks on prior to the game.
Chargers’ biggest weaknesses
The Chargers have stumbled out of the gate to an ugly 0-2, and the stats paint a pretty grim picture of why. The offense has completely lacked punch, averaging a 14 points per game and putting up a measly 268 total yards in their Week 1 loss to Arizona.
Justin Herbert hasn’t had much breathing room or rhythm, getting sacked three times in the opener while the ground game has averaged under 4 yards per carry. To make matters worse, ball security has been a massive killer— Omarion Hampton has coughed up crucial fumbles in back-to-back weeks, including a late, game-clinching turnover against the Raiders.
Combine those self-inflicted mistakes with a leaky secondary that allowed 393 total yards to the Cardinals and gave up three passing TDs to Kirk Cousins in Week 2, and L.A. has simply been shooting itself in the foot on both sides of the ball.
A daunting schedule ahead
The Chargers have a tough road ahead as they look to turn around their negative start. First, they head out on the road to take on the Buffalo Bills at New Highmark Stadium on Sunday, September 27.
They stay on the road the following week, traveling up to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sunday, October 4. Finally, they return home to SoFi Stadium on Sunday, October 11 for a crucial division matchup against the Denver Broncos.
Key takeaways
- 0-2 start marks the Los Angeles Chargers’ winless opening record this season.
- Jim Harbaugh stated he is not deterred despite the team’s early losses.
- Justin Herbert declared that the squad has no room for error after recent losses.
