Despite quick exit in playoffs, Chargers made plenty of strides in Jim Harbaugh’s 1st season

By Canadian Press on January 13, 2025.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — In his first season back in the NFL, Jim Harbaugh made plenty of strides in rebuilding the Los Angeles Chargers.

Saturday’s loss to Houston in an AFC wild-card round game, though, showed how much more work remains.

The Chargers won 11 games during the regular season — a six-victory improvement from 2023 — as Harbaugh delivered on what he set out to do when he held his first news conference as coach on Feb. 1, 2024.

“He came in and wanted to establish a brand and an identity, and he did that,” center Bradley Bozeman said. “Every single step of the way. He was never a hypocrite in one single stance. The guy just continued to be exactly who he was every single day. What he preached is what he practiced.”

Harbaugh was able to instill a physical mindset and confidence, and general manager Joe Hortiz was aggressive in making moves throughout the season to upgrade the roster.

The Chargers had one of the league’s easiest schedules after finishing last in the AFC West last season. They took advantage of it, going 8-1 against teams that finished under .500 but 3-5 against teams with winning records.

“It’s my favorite ball team I’ve ever been on. One thing I can promise you is the sun will come up tomorrow, and we’ll be attacking it with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind,” Harbaugh said after Saturday’s 32-12 loss to the Texans.

Justin Herbert struggled against the Texans, throwing four picks and completing only 14 of 32 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown. The 40.9 passer rating and 43.2% completion rates were both career lows in 81 starts, including the playoffs.

Herbert will feel more pressure next season with his playoff record at 0-2.

“Definitely on the right track. It didn’t show (Saturday), and it’s the horrible thing about football. No one feels worse than I do, and we have complete trust in coach Harbaugh, and he’s going to get the team right,” Herbert said.

Defensive resurgence

While Herbert and the offense went through plenty of growing pains with first-year coordinator Greg Roman’s scheme, the defense flourished under Jesse Minter.

Minter’s unit led the league in scoring defense, allowing 17.7 points per game. The Chargers also had the league’s top red-zone defense — allowing only 18 touchdowns in 40 possessions — and were tied for sixth in sacks.

Safety Derwin James had a career-high 5 1/2 sacks and was used in a variety of spots. He didn’t seem weighed down by his different responsibilities as he had been in former coach Brandon Staley’s system.

According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, James is one of two players this season to play at least 10% of their snaps on the line of scrimmage as a slot corner, safety, and linebacker.

“We know that we have something great building. I know next year we’ll be back even stronger, having a full year under our belts,” James said.

Herbert’s supporting cast

Even though the offense had six new starters and an inexperienced receiving group, Herbert threw only three interceptions in the regular season. The Chargers committed only eight turnovers, tied for third fewest in league history.

Ladd McConkey exceeded expectations, setting franchise rookie marks with 82 receptions and 1,149 receiving yards, and he finished with a playoff rookie record 197 yards in the loss to the Texans. Quentin Johnston led the team with eight receiving touchdowns but struggled with dropped passes.

Josh Palmer, who will be a free agent this offseason, was expected to be a leader in the receiving room but had only 39 catches.

“I feel like we made progress from last year. At the same time, there’s a lot more we need to work towards,” Johnston said.

Balancing things out

The Chargers called designed run plays on 42.7% of their offensive snaps, their highest rushing rate since 2013.

Many expected Gus Edwards to be the lead back going into the season, but J.K. Dobbins quickly took over that role. Dobbins rushed for a career-high 905 yards and tied a career best with nine touchdowns.

Despite missing four games with a knee injury, Dobbins’ 13 games played were his most since his rookie season of 2020 with Baltimore. He suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in the 2023 opener and missed the 2021 season with a knee injury.

Dobbins signed a one-year deal but is hopeful about returning in 2025.

Talented rookies

McConkey was one of many rookies from Hortiz’s first draft class who made significant contributions.

Offensive tackle Joe Alt, the fifth overall pick, started 16 games. According to Next Gen Stats, Alt allowed a 6.9% pressure rate, eighth lowest among linemen with at least 200 pass block snaps at right tackle.

Cornerbacks Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, both taken in the fifth round, received plenty of playing time. Still started 12 games and led the team with four interceptions, while Hart had six starts.

Next steps

Minter could interview for a couple of head coaching openings. Roman is expected to return, which is important since this would be only the second time in Herbert’s five seasons he would have the same offensive coordinator for two straight years.

Linebacker Khalil Mack will be a free agent and is considering retirement. His pass-rush partner, Joey Bosa, is going into the last year of his contract and has been plagued by injuries.

The Chargers will look to upgrade at receiver, tight end and the interior of the offensive line.

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Joe Reedy, The Associated Press