It’s back to the drawing board for the struggling Los Angeles Chargers offense. Following a disappointing 17-15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football, a game in which they failed to score a single offensive touchdown, the Chargers’ wide receivers gathered for an impromptu locker room meeting to confront their lack of production and consistency.
Herbert: “We’ve Got to Do Better”
Quarterback Justin Herbert, who passed for 349 yards but couldn’t find the end zone, acknowledged the offense’s shortcomings, particularly in the red zone. “I thought we did a lot of good things, but we’ve got to score points in the red zone,” Herbert told reporters. “We’ve gotta do a better job for our defense, for our special teams.”
The Chargers’ lone red zone trip ended in a field goal, one of five on the night by kicker Cameron Dicker. The inability to finish drives has become an alarming trend for Los Angeles, which hasn’t scored a second-half offensive touchdown since Week 1.
Receivers Seek Answers
Seeking solutions, Chargers wideouts including DJ Chark, Joshua Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Simi Fehoko, Brenden Rice and Derius Davis huddled up for a heart-to-heart after the loss. The consensus? Their performance was unacceptable, and consistency is key moving forward.
“We just have to be more consistent.”
Joshua Palmer on the WRs’ meeting
Palmer, who led the team with 69 receiving yards, stressed the importance of the discussion, noting the group’s morale was low after such a tough loss. Rookie Ladd McConkey, who had two costly drops, was among the most visibly frustrated. “It sucks,” McConkey said. “I mean, you want to catch everything… I’m for sure disappointed.”
Offense Letting Down Defense
Making matters worse, the Chargers’ offensive woes are squandering a tremendous effort by their defense. LA has allowed 20 points or fewer in all six games this season, yet sits at a mediocre 3-3. According to sources, this is the worst six-game defensive start by a team since the 1980 Denver Broncos.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t mince words about the bitter defeat, quoting Nelson Mandela: “I don’t lose. I either win or I learn.” Harbaugh made clear he expects the team to absorb the difficult lessons and translate them into improved play.
Offensive Talent Not Adding Up
On paper, the Chargers’ offense looks formidable. Herbert is an ascending star at quarterback. The skill positions are stacked with proven playmakers like Chark and Palmer, along with exciting rookies McConkey and Rice. Yet the unit continues to stall in key situations, failing to complement a championship-caliber defense.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, entered Monday night surrendering the 6th most yards and 5th most points in the NFL. Keeping them out of the end zone should have been a attainable goal. Instead, Arizona held Los Angeles without an offensive touchdown for the first time since 2021.
Bolt Up or Bolt Out?
At 3-3 and falling short of lofty preseason expectations, the Chargers find themselves at an early crossroads in 2024. Will the locker room meeting and soul searching galvanize this talented group? Or will frustrations mount if the offense continues to underperform?
The Chargers’ championship window with Herbert on a rookie contract is closing faster than many realize. Maximizing his prime years requires an offensive breakthrough, and soon. The coming weeks will reveal if this team has the urgency and answers to reverse course before it’s too late.
