In his postgame press conference, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh took the team’s loss personally, taking full responsibility, “I don’t like to lose… but I wish I could have done better for our guys,” he stated. And unlike some coaches, who just say those things as platitudes, Harbaugh did cost the team in several instances that affected the final score of the close game.
Jim Harbaugh’s Mishandled Challenge #1
Another pivotal moment came midway through the third quarter when the Chiefs converted a third-and-11 pass. Harbaugh challenged the call, believing the ball had touched the ground. However, he lost the challenge, costing the team their first timeout.
“I thought it was a big enough play to challenge and get ourselves organized on defense,” he explained. He also noted that the Chargers were experiencing headset communication issues, and he wanted to address those while attempting to regain composure on offense.
Harbaugh also said that he saw the play on the replay board and made his decision from that rather than leaning on his coaching staff in the boxes who have access to the replays and more camera angles.
Jim Harbaugh’s Mishandled Challenge #2
In the fourth quarter, the Chargers faced a critical third-and-5 at the Chiefs’ 7-yard line. Quarterback Justin Herbert connected with Joshua Palmer, who managed to gain four yards but fell just short of the first down, setting up a fourth-and-1 at the 3.
With the play clock winding down, Harbaugh opted to call a timeout to ensure the team executed the right play. However, after the timeout, he reviewed the play and realized Palmer might have actually secured the first down.
“In hindsight, I wish I would have challenged it instead of calling a timeout,” Harbaugh admitted. He noted that a lost challenge would have had the same outcome as the timeout.
Ultimately, Herbert’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete, and the Chargers failed to enter the red zone again.
More Penalties
The Chargers were also called for a season-high nine penalties, including seven on offense.
Harbaugh took the heat for the plethora of infractions.
“Me specifically? The pre-snap penalties, we have to be better,” Harbaugh said. “I look at that as coaching. That’s something I can do better with.”
