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NFL Overreactions Week 4
Mackenzie Salmon breaks down some of the biggest games from NFL Week 4.
Exercise seriously
Jim Harbaugh is optimistic about the direction the Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) are heading despite entering their Week 5 bye on a two-game losing skid.
The Chargers were defeated 17-10 by the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. It was the Chargers’ six straight loss to Kansas City and the club’s first loss to the Chiefs under Harbaugh.
The Chargers scored the first 10 points of the game before the defense forced two turnovers and held Patrick Mahomes to a modest game. Still, the Chargers’ offense was held scoreless in the second half for the second time in as many weeks.
A neutralized offense in the second half is only part of the problem for Harbaugh’s Chargers. Week 4 saw another underperformance in the passing game, which has become a concerning trend.
“It’s building,” Harbaugh said of the Chargers’ offense. “I want to improve in all areas. In our view, not a final product. … Keeping that unity humming is a point of emphasis, especially when it matters most.”
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert set an NFL record for most passing yards through a player’s first four seasons (17,223). Under Harbaugh, the quarterback has yet to pass for more than 200 yards in a single game.
“We have to stay patient and understand that we have the right guys. We didn’t execute,” Herbert said after Sunday’s defeat. “It didn’t go the way we wanted (Sunday) and that won’t stop us from continuing next week, two weeks from now, whenever that happens.”
The Chargers’ offense was always expected to be run-centric under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, a run-game guru. Additionally, the Chargers released WR Mike Williams and traded WR Keenan Allen this offseason, the best two wide receivers Herbert had. But does Roman’s offense match Herbert’s skill set? The numbers from their first four games combined say no. The Chargers have the second-worst passing offense in the NFL. Herbert is averaging just 144 yards per game this season after averaging 275 yards per game through the first four years of his career.
The silver lining is that the Chargers still have plenty of time to improve their meager passing attack. The team has a soft bye schedule with back-to-back games against the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals before returning home to host the New Orleans Saints. And players and coaches are optimistic about this season.
“Just understand what’s going on. When you look at the film and look at what the offense is doing and what (the defense) is doing, it’s a lot of football that we can be proud of. But that doesn’t matter. They are not moral victories, especially for me,” Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack said. “It’s a process. But don’t be too down on yourself, not too high (and) not too low, stay balanced and focus on getting better every week.
Perhaps no one is more hopeful than Coach Harbaugh as the Chargers enter their Week 5 bye.
“It’s an early bye, it’s a Week 5 bye,” Harbaugh said. “I think it’s a good thing for where we are now and when the time comes. If it comes this early, we’ll get the team fresh again, but also take advantage of the things we need to get better at. There’s that element of working together, getting it to the point where we want it to be. Where it’s good, great (and) where it should be. In terms of the bye week, I would call it ‘opportunities week’. Opportunity to improve in areas where we need it.”
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