INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Two games into the season, the returns aren’t promising for the Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Herbert struggled for the second straight week on his home field — this time in front of a hostile crowd — as Los Angeles fell to 0-2 with its second 26-14 loss this season, this time to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Herbert was 15 of 27 for 192 yards with two interceptions and fumbled three times, although the Chargers recovered all three. Los Angeles fumbled six times on the day, losing one.
In his debut with McDaniel — who spent the previous for seasons as head coach of the Miami Dolphins — calling the plays, Herbert threw for a modest 209 yards with a touchdown and a pick in a loss to Arizona.
Known as a passer who has put up big numbers in the regular season but struggled in the playoffs, Herbert doesn’t even have statistics on his side so far in 2026.
“There’s a room full of grown men that can handle their job and they’re going to do everything they can to correct it and fix it,” Herbert said. “We’re going to stick together. It’s tough. No one wants to lose two games but there’s nothing we can do about it now.”
Translating what Herbert considers to be productive practices into game success would be a step in the right direction.
“We just have to be better,” Herbert said. “That’s not good enough and we can’t expect to win games when we’re playing like that.”
Herbert wasn’t completely to blame. Chargers receivers dropped three passes in the first half, including a bobble by David Njoku that ended up as an interception by the Raiders’ Hezekiah Masses.
Herbert’s second interception came with less than three minutes remaining and Los Angeles trailing 24-14. The Raiders tacked on a safety when Chargers right tackle Joe Alt was called for holding in the end zone with 1:46 left.
That sent the pro-Raiders crowd — the franchise called Los Angeles home from 1982-94 and maintains a strong Southern California fan base — into a frenzy.
Alt was supposed to supply stability for the passing game after playing just six games last season because of an ankle injury that required surgery. He was called for four penalties Sunday.
The addition of free-agent center Tyler Biadasz was also expected to help a beleaguered offensive line, but he was lost in training camp with a knee injury.
Coach Jim Harbaugh will look to fix the offensive line and his team’s other problems before next weekend game at unbeaten Buffalo.
“The ‘why’ is what we’ll be talking about,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll look at the tape. We’ll go back to work. That’s all I know how to do. That’s all we know how to do. Find the way and we’ll move forward. It’s a one-week league.”
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Doug Padilla, The Associated Press
