Introduction to the Loss
Numbers don’t lie. But sometimes NFL teams do. That’s why All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. believes the Chargers need to be unmercifully honest in sorting through Sunday’s 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the most lopsided defeat of the Jim Harbaugh era.
The Game Statistics
The Jaguars collected 30 first downs, held the ball for nearly 16 minutes longer, and limited Justin Herbert to a career-low 81 yards passing. Candor incoming. “Sometimes you can lie when you want to protect the other side or protect the player,” said James, standing in a cramped and somber visitors’ locker room. “But I feel like this team is very honest, very transparent and everybody don’t got no soft skin. So I feel like everybody can look in the mirror and we’ll be straight.”
The Chargers’ Performance
The Chargers came to Jacksonville having won four of five, and the Jaguars had lost three in a row. That wasn’t indicative of what was to come, however, as Jacksonville dominated the line of scrimmage and the Chargers were as mild as the balmy day. A Jaguars defense that entered the game with an NFL-low 12 sacks was transformed into a pass-rushing tsunami, one that sacked Herbert two times and pressured him on nearly every drop-back, sending him to the blue medical tent — albeit on a roughing-the-passer body slam — before the end of the first half.
Post-Game Analysis
“We just never really got set up,” Herbert said. “Never got in a rhythm or comfortable. It starts with the run game, and we weren’t able to do that today. That’s on me to do a better job getting those completions, finding easy routes to extend plays and convert on third down, which we did a poor job of today too. But yeah, we just weren’t good today.” Herbert was checked for a concussion in the second quarter and cleared to return. With 11 minutes left and the Jaguars up by 29, he and several other starters were pulled from the game.
Coaching Perspective
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh looks down on the sideline during a 35-6 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday. The loss tied the worst of his NFL career, a 29-point loss to Seattle in 2012, when Harbaugh was coaching the San Francisco 49ers. “We got beat every which way we could possibly be,” Harbaugh said.
The Impact of Injuries
Some of that was all the offensive line woes coming home to roost. In past weeks, the Chargers were able to mask that by establishing a ground attack, and with Herbert getting the ball out of his hands quickly. The Chargers have had more than a dozen different line configurations this season. There was a flicker of hope for them when, just before the trade deadline, they acquired lineman Trevor Penning from the New Orleans Saints. But Penning made his debut at left tackle Sunday and won’t be putting this game on his resume. Nor will any of his new linemates.
Player Reactions
Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey is tackled by Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard in the first half Sunday. Jacksonville was the scene of the crime where three years ago the Chargers blew a 27-point lead in a first-round playoff loss to the Jaguars. James, who was a member of that team, said that might have been a little extra salt in Sunday’s wound but, “I hate losing, period.”
The Road Ahead
There’s some time to do that now as the Chargers have a week off before resuming with a Nov. 30 home game against the Raiders. From the players’ perspective, the week off is both a benefit and a burden. “It’s never easy to go into a bye week off a loss,” Johnson said. “You don’t have the opportunity to get that sour taste out of your mouth. But it at least gives us the chance to look at the tape, look at the past few weeks and the season as a whole, and see where we stand and where we can improve as an offense and as a football team.”
Game Highlights
The 29-point loss was the worst for the Chargers since a 63-21 thrashing by the Raiders on Dec. 14, 2023. Sunday, the Jaguars ran for 192 yards — the Chargers had 42 — and won the total-yardage tally, 345-135. And that was a week after the Chargers’ defense throttled Pittsburgh, with the Steelers going 0 for 9 on third down until garbage time.
Conclusion
The Chargers’ loss to the Jaguars was a wake-up call for the team, highlighting the need for improvement in various areas, including the offense, defense, and special teams. The team’s honesty and transparency will be crucial in addressing these issues and moving forward. As James said, "I feel like everybody can look in the mirror and we’ll be straight."
FAQs
- Q: What was the final score of the game between the Chargers and the Jaguars?
A: The final score was 35-6 in favor of the Jaguars. - Q: What was the reason for Justin Herbert’s visit to the medical tent?
A: Herbert was checked for a concussion in the second quarter after a roughing-the-passer body slam. - Q: How many different line configurations have the Chargers had this season?
A: The Chargers have had more than a dozen different line configurations this season. - Q: What is the Chargers’ next game?
A: The Chargers have a week off before resuming with a Nov. 30 home game against the Raiders.
