INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Jim Harbaugh paused.
It was shortly after the Los Angeles Chargers' 26-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, and a reporter had asked about the Chargers' offense, which struggled for the second week in a row. As Harbaugh answered the question, he stopped while a loud and fervent Raiders chant blared in the background.
It's unclear whether Harbaugh, who often pauses at random times in his news conferences, was doing so because of the chant or whether he even heard it. Nonetheless, the moment was a cruel reminder of how quickly things have changed for the Chargers.
"We'll look at the tape. We'll go back to work. That's all I know how to do," Harbaugh said as the chants continued.
Coming into this season, ESPN's Football Power Index gave the Chargers the fifth-highest odds to win the Super Bowl. And Sunday's game was supposed to be a bounce-back opportunity for a team hoping to contend.
After last week's loss to the Arizona Cardinals, during which the Chargers' offense fell flat and the team's passing defense was picked apart, coaches and players preached a similar tune, echoing the words "uncharacteristic" and "sloppy." They were firm that the opener wasn't reflective of who they were.
Sunday's loss to the Raiders refuted that sentiment: six fumbles, eight penalties, three turnovers. An offense that, for the second week in a row, looked helplessly lost, and a defense seemingly outschemed again.
"It's just on us to be better," quarterback Justin Herbert said.
The Chargers' mishaps Sunday were plenty.
Offensive tackle Joe Alt, a Pro Bowler last season, was flagged four times, three for false starts and one for a hold in the end zone that resulted in a safety. Alt is the first player with three false start penalties in a game since Matt Pryor in 2020 and the first Chargers player since Marcus McNeill in 2011 to have four accepted penalties.
"Sometimes, it happens," Alt said. "I thought I saw what I saw, and I didn't. Got to be better."
A late snap on a third-and-1 in the third quarter that hit wide receiver Tre' Harris as he was motioning across led to an outburst from Herbert that was among the most animated of his career. An Omarion Hampton fumble in the fourth quarter essentially ended the game.
Then, there was a bobbled pass by tight end David Njoku that led to an interception. The only receiver who consistently posed a threat to the defense again was Ladd McConkey, who was playing limited snaps because of a rib injury. He tied for the team lead in receptions with three and had 35 receiving yards.
On the other side of the ball, a defense that was too often out of position in the secondary surrendered another 250-plus-yard passing game.
It was a similar script to last week's loss, but even worse. Still, the Chargers remain steadfast that this isn't who they are.
"I'm not deterred," Harbaugh said. "No one in that locker room is deterred."
Though Herbert echoed Harbaugh's comments, he acknowledged that there needs to be a sense of urgency in fixing their issues on offense.
"There's no time for us to be patient with how we're playing," Herbert said. "It's not good enough, so we have to be better."
Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was without All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Cody White, who was elevated from the practice squad for the game. White had one touchdown in his career before Sunday.
One of White's touchdowns came with safety Derwin James Jr. sidelined. James exited the game in the first quarter after fracturing his left pinkie while trying to make a tackle. He'll wear a cast for the remainder of the season.
"We got to look each other in the eye, man, and just tell the truth, and just get better," James said. "Because right now, that s--- just looks trash.
"I'm angry, but being angry don't fix anything."
Outside linebacker Khalil Mack, who returned to the Chargers for his 13th season with the hopes of winning a title, was so frustrated after the game that he didn't remember Harbaugh's speech.
"Honestly, I was blanked out the whole time; I don't really know," Mack said of Harbaugh's message. "My mind was on the game still.
"It's right there for us, man," he continued. "I feel like we doing a lot of things to hurt ourselves right now. And so once we get those things fixed, it'll look a lot better."
