It’s safe to say that Chargers fans were massively disappointed in the team’s performance after the team’s infuriating loss November 16 to the Jaguars.
Coach Jim Harbaugh was especially critical when discussing his team’s performance. We got beat every which way you could possibly be beat,” Harbaugh said during his postgame press conference. “We were out-physicaled.”
He specifically spoke on the team’s inability to control the game, as the Jaguars had 30 first downs to the Chargers’ 8. Luckily for them, they have a bye week to prepare for the season, beginning with a Week 13 matchup at home against the Raiders.
Jim Harbaugh Calls Out Physicality & Execution After Lopsided Loss
Harbaugh also keyed in on what the Chargers had to do moving forward, as they have already been faced with many obstacles along the way. One specific hurdle was new acquisition on the offensive line Trevor Penning have to adapt as he was benched midway through the game.
Another area the Chargers will hope to be bolstered by is the running back position, as rookie starter Omarion Hampton has been sidelined with an injury sustained in Week 5.
Now we’re going to figure out what we’re going to do about it. I’m going to assume, what I know of our team, that they’ll respond. You look at what you’re doing schematically, who’s doing it, how they’re doing it, how you’re coaching it. You look at every possible aspect.”
Harbaugh said concerning their abilities to bounce back. It is important to note that the Chargers are still 7-4 and control their own destiny in the AFC West. They are two games back of the Denver Broncos who defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday to improve to 9-2. Add in the fact that the Broncos have the head-to-head tiebreaker and the bye week could not come at a better time.
Chargers Look to Regroup During Bye Week Amid Injuries and Offensive Concerns
Another area of concern Harbaugh had to address was the purported concussion sustained by QB Justin Herbert, who was replaced by Trey Lance in the fourth quarter after a hit to the head in the first half. However, Harbaugh brushed it aside as simply following the rules of concussion protocol.”I think they were evaluating him for a concussion. That’s what I think, but he was cleared,” Harbaugh said.
Ultimately, it was a rough game week for the Chargers that simply exposed the limitations of the offense without the sustained abilities of the offensive line. It will be up to Harbaugh and company to figure out ways for this team to succeed without that consistency. If they can incorporate Trevor Penning more fluidly into the O-line, that could be a positive start. If Omarion Hampton is able to come back after the bye, even better. All of these problems must be fixed during the extra bye week. If not, the season could slowly begin to unravel for them.
Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh Has Strong Message for Team After Jaguars Loss