The Chargers offense ranks 20th, and quarterback Justin Herbert has three touchdowns and four interceptions and his passer rating of 73.4 ranks 26th. Los Angeles has more turnovers (six) than touchdowns (five) as a team.
Coach Jim Harbaugh said he has not considered taking control from offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
“No, we trust Mike. We believe in Mike,” Harbaugh said, via Austin Knoblauch of the Los Angeles Times.
It’s not like Harbaugh has any other option but to publicly give McDaniel a vote of confidence and hope the former Dolphins head coach can fix it.
Harbaugh hired McDaniel this offseason to add a dynamic element to the offense, which hasn’t happened yet.
While Harbaugh issued his first public criticism of Herbert, saying Monday that Herbert needs “to be better” in his decision-making, the head coach hasn’t done the same with McDaniel.
“We’re searching for every possible way to give ourselves an advantage,” Harbaugh said. “Every possible way to not beat ourselves.”
In his postgame comments, Herbert pushed back against the idea that McDaniel’s scheme is too complex.
“He’s definitely a guy that we need to lean on; he’s done such an incredible job,” Herbert said, via Jonah Bronstein of the Associated Press. “It’s on us as an offense to run the plays the way he sees them, listen to coaching, and do our job to make those plays. And we haven’t done that for him. So obviously, we feel horrible.”