T
he Chargers are floundering. For the first time since 2000, the team is 0-6 to start a season and in desperate need for wins to save their season. The offense has notably been stagnant, with quarterback Justin Herbert playing arguably the worst football of his career. The team hired former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to be their new offensive coordinator this offseason, hoping that he could bring a new flair.
But things have not gone as planned. Through six games, people are already questioning his future. Jim Harbaugh has repeatedly stood by his offensive coordinator but acknowledged that the unit needs to improve. One former quarterback, ex-Raider Rich Gannon, did not hold back his thoughts on the team’s decision to hire McDaniel. Gannon went as far to say that it was a ‘mistake.’
Gannon: McDaniel Hire was a ‘Mistake’
Gannon can tell that the players, specifically Herbert, are not comfortable in McDaniel’s offense. McDaniel came in from the outside without ever working for Harbaugh, and is failing to understand the culture. According to Gannon, the situation could unravel pretty quickly if Harbaugh doesn’t make a change or figure out a solution.
“The problem the Chargers have is that they just moved on from their offensive staff a year ago. Greg Roman was fired, and so they then brought in Mike McDaniel. I think it was a mistake,” Gannon told Casino.org writer Alex Withers. “They brought in somebody from outside the organisation. McDaniel didn’t know the culture and the environment at the Chargers. He comes from a totally different background when you look at offensive philosophy. This is why it isn’t working for them this season.”
The Chargers’ offense finished in the top half of the league in total offense last season but are among the league’s worst this season. Going 11-6 in Harbaugh’s first two seasons, the team is already in danger of missing the playoffs entirely and need to fix things quickly if they want to get back into contention.
What the Chargers Should Do
McDaniel’s offense may be the main issue, but according to Gannon, any issues start at the top. The 0-6 start could put Harbaugh on the hot seat, especially with how badly Herbert is struggling, which means something needs to change instantly.
“The quarterback is clearly uncomfortable. Justin Herbert was one of the most productive quarterbacks for the first 4 or 5 years of his career than any quarterback in the history of the game,” Gannon added. “Now you look at him and he’s having a difficult time completing a forward pass. He’s throwing these ugly interceptions. Clearly he’s not comfortable.
“The problem that Jim Harbaugh has is he brought someone in from outside the organisation. Jim can’t fix it. Jim can’t go over to the offensive side of the ball and start making corrections. Unfortunately now, I think what you see is what you get with the Chargers. I think this is going to unravel very quickly. Unless Jim can get things turned around and convince ownership that he’s got a solution, he may be out of the door.”
Former NFL QB Deems Chargers’ Mike McDaniel Hire a ‘Mistake’