Harbaugh On Prep For Dak Prescott & Cowboys | LA Chargers

any update on uh RJ Mickens? >> Uh RJ um yeah, he’s not going to practice today and um working through working through the shoulder and we’ll just see how how it responds to treatment and see how the week plays out. >> Could still some hope that he could play this week? >> Um yeah, we’ll see. See how the week goes. Good uh good miss. >> Trey Darus. >> Yeah. Um Daryus is not going to be out there today working through the ankle. And uh Elijah, he’ll be out there probably be limited today. And Trey Pipkins, he’ll be out there today. Probably limited. >> What are you seeing from Dallas? Um, I think it’s arguably the best offense we played and present a lot of challenges. Uh, really good up front. Uh, really good quarterback, really good receivers. Uh, you know, it’s not just the two great ones that you see the other ones uh, rising to the occasion as well. Uh, and the running game that that’ll be a challenge to stop as well. Um the quarterback is elite, really good. Um so yeah, big challenge for us defensively. >> From uh from what you see, what what makes Dax such elite quarterback? >> Uh just all good. All the good. Uh yeah. What’s what’s the what’s the thing? You know, like uh he’s just really really good at everything. there’s there’s an awareness that he has. It’s uh like you know vision uh sense, feel um I mean slippery but uh playmaker and all the arm talent that you’d ever want. Uh but yeah, there’s a seems to be a six sense with him just his his um his feel for the game and the way he sees the field, the way he sees football. It’s it’s it’s it stands out. >> Are you prepared for that after Jaylen hurts Patrick Mahomes and >> uh we’ll see. Yeah, we’ll see. Uh it’s a big challenge. I mean we’re it’s Wednesday right now. Working through working through all those all those things. Um you know how how how do you contain it more like you know all of what they present? Uh I don’t know about stopping it but uh but it’s uh that’s Wednesday. We’ll uh we’ll keep keep working but it’s It’s a tall task. It’s a It’s a real challenge. >> Physicality, it’s been like a trademark of your teams forever. Um, do you know when you have a group that’s like playing as physical as you want them to be? And like what does that feel like? What does that look like? What are you looking for in that respect? >> Uh, yeah. I I uh I love the way our guys train. I’ve talked about that. Um, I love the way they are trained. Um, I I I really uh, you know, feel strongly that our our strength staff deserves a lot of credit. Ben Herbert, uh, Devin Woodhouse, Ben Rabby, uh, Lincoln, uh, JB, Jonathan Brooks, uh, I mean, tremendous, uh, rapport and work ethic, uh, that the training environment we have. I mean, it’s it’s like a beaver dam. I mean, there is something always going on. Uh I don’t know if that’s the best analogy. I just came up with that one, but uh there’s I mean, there’s people over here, you know, they’re pulling sleds and you know, over here they’re they’re in in the racks and uh dumbbells and uh just the the way they train. I our our best players, our best playmakers, uh are the ones who work the hardest, you know, care the most about the team, teamwork, but uh it it’s so much uh so much going on in that training environment. And it’s it stood out this game. I mean, this was a slugfest, uh against the Chiefs, you know, four quarters, all four quarters. Um very physical both sides uh both teams. uh the week before uh and that was on a short week. Monday night we played the uh Eagles four quarters slugfest then into into overtime you know same thing uh just the the conditioning of the team I feel I feel great about uh I feel like our guys are playing that playing those fourth quarters playing those overtimes you know just like they’re playing the third quarter and the second quarter and the first quarter. uh you know I think the the great John Wooden would be proud of our team. You know uh the conditioning and and fitness of the team is is is at a really high level. The other um is uh our training staff um what they’ve done, what they do in uh preparation and and uh in rehabbing um you know they’re I mean it’s it’s the same kind of look beehive beaver dam. I mean when you you walk in there there’s it’s just it’s just activity uh everybody attacking it and that’s really the key. you know, you can go about doing something, a task, uh, but it’s got a heck of a better chance to be successful if you if you attack it. And, um, so yeah, Marco, Allison, uh, Bobby, Sal, Sam, uh, all the all the folks in the training room, they’re going to get a game ball because, uh, you know, the the health and the and the fitness of the team is is in a in a great place right now. So, um, now we, uh, now we attack, you know, and, uh, this game is the most important game of the season. Um, and we’re going to have a better chance of being successful if if we attack it. Rip it. >> Is that contagious for guys? You see guys around you kind of attacking that in that way, that having that mentality? >> Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. That’s uh that’s scientifically proven. I’m sure you know you a laugh a laugh is is contagious, right? I mean, there’s I think I I think I read that somewhere. 30% better chance to somebody’s going to laugh if if if somebody laughs. I just laughed because you laughed. Uh but yeah, I think it is. >> You guys have been playing a lot more uh man coverage on defense on third downs um since the by-week. How much of that is just proof of uh the confidence that you guys have in in the DB room just in terms of being able to to match up in and cover? Yeah, our guys u I mean they take a lot of pride in that and uh you know pride in um you know pride in their job uh and that’s you know something that uh you know every uh defensive back worth their salt you know wants to be able to play man-to-man coverage. you know, mono emano. Uh, Coach Clink, uh, you know, it’s it’s it’s daily, you know, the encouragement to play tighter, play play tighter, man. Um, and those those guys, those professionals, I mean, they they want to be able to they want to play manto man. >> Was there was there anything that I guess showed you or the coaching staff that the defense was ready to play more of those coverages at this point? It’s been through the two years up until the five week had been like a lot of of zone. Was there anything you guys saw where you’re like, “Okay, I think we’re we’re ready at this point to be more of a man team in certain situations.” >> Uh, no. That confidence has always been high in playing man. Derwin can cover anybody, you know. Um, so uh yeah, we have a high confidence in our guys. >> Back to your that for a second. What did you see from Marcus to William? He played 43 pass. >> Yeah, four tackles. Uh, you know, thought he thought he credited himself well and, uh, had been practicing very well. You know, really, really good pro. Uh, somewhere along here, another game ball to the personnel staff, Joe and Chad and and Lou and Tyler and and and the guys. I mean, the just really good vets, you know, that really good pros that uh that they they mix into the to the team. Great to great to have him in the building. Bobby Hart would be an example of that. I mean, just see the demeanor on a daily basis and and in the game. uh you know he’ll be a fab he’d be a fabulous I think he’d be a good really good coach if he chooses to go into coaching someday but he’s got he’s got a lot of football uh still to go and sign Marcus May great to have him back in the building but just so many examples you know this year last year of of u you know those kind of guys on our team make it better. another uh sort of shift for you guys since the by week this time on offense just first 28 minutes of games you’ve been running the ball at a much higher rate. How much of a point of emphasis was that coming out of the buy when you guys were doing self scouting to like those parts of the game where the score game script isn’t dictating play calling as much to it really lean into the physicality up front get the offensive line and playing downhill and lead into that the offense in terms of the run game? >> Yeah, I don’t know that there was a um an inflection point where we said, “Hey, let’s run the ball more.” Um, uh, it’s just always been a high emphasis and and, um, you know, like our offense, uh, like the way our offense is is playing playing football right now. >> The numbers are show pretty significant shift. So you’re saying it’s more just coincidental as opposed to any sort of >> I don’t Yeah, I don’t can’t remember there isn’t there wasn’t a hey let’s run the ball more point the game >> how the offense >> uh well the last two games um you know the Chiefs um and the Eagles I think they would have loved to have our our offensive production in those two games and those are really really good teams. >> The Eagles game. >> Yeah. Do you think the Eagles would have rather had our offensive production or theirs? >> Well, Chiefs, ours or theirs and and against two really good defenses. >> Winning football. >> Winning football. That’s what I love. >> Is there anything specific specific you like about what what you guys do on offense? >> Specifically playing winning football. as specific as you can be. >> Well, you know, >> that is that is very specific. >> You know, after after the Eagles game, Justin said it was he was he was, you know, damn near disgusted with >> he came up here and said I was just >> said uncharacteristic. >> Thought it was really tough. Well, I would say Justin, I think probably the other quarterback would have much rather had the game that you had. >> He’s uh he’s up to 12 interceptions this year. Obviously, some batted passes and fluky stuff. >> Just how do you approach that that fact that he has 12 interceptions this season? >> As somebody who, you know, talked a lot about how important it is to protect the football, >> keep attacking, keep letting it rip. Uh he is to make a golf analogy. Uh you know if you’re Tiger Woods and you hit one in the water, take another one out of your pocket, put it on the ground and let it rip. >> With the with Scott Nal, it seems over the past three games he’s >> a little bit more consistency um as a blocker in the run game. >> What what’s happening there? What are you seeing from him in terms of his development? >> I I agree. I agree. And uh the uh I hate to take credit for things. So, uh but my dad and I, Jack, I mean, Jack Harbaugh, this is really Jack Harbaugh. Uh you know, kind of when he was when he was in town, I you know, kind of took him aside. He said, “Baboop, baboop.” you know, when you come in, boop, boop, you know, that’s a hit, roll the hips, and uh he’s just that that whole like rhythm of uh approaching the block uh you know, with with speed and then, you know, the the the contact and then the rolling of the hips all in in one kind of one motion, you know, that’s the way Jack Harbaugh framed it. Baboop, baboop. And that’s I think that’s resonated. I think uh Scott has >> I see the same thing. >> How much of it just you’re talking about some of those movement blocks where he’s you know trying to square guys up all at on the moving target. >> How much of that is just the fact that he hadn’t done a lot of that I think. >> Yeah. >> A big part of that a big part of that defensive defensive tackle transitioning to uh you know an NFL tight end fullback um is that’s a it’s a big leap. He’s I think he’s done a done a great job and he’s really gives our team a physicality when you have a you know a fullback that is 300 lb uh that can also catch balls in the passes in the in the flat and um I think I think one time he hit a guy and you know knocked the chin strap off you know but that Uh that is something that can really set the tone, you know, for for an offense, for a physical physical offense. You know, you I’d like to envision that some of those hits, I mean, they’re they’re their fillings are rattling, you know, that’s those kind of those kind of hits. >> When did your your dad come and give them that directive? >> Uh in August. anybody else with that directive or >> bada boop bada boop. >> I think it was just Scott. >> Yeah. How do you say it? How do you say that? You know, I mean, it just it takes a it takes a football genius, you know, to uh to come up with that. That was genius by Jack Harbaugh. >> And I keep reminding him I that’s been my part. I’ve been reminding Scott of the >> Jack Harbaugh coaching. Three syllables, right? >> It might have been baboop baboop. >> It might have been yell. >> Let’s call him up. Let’s call Let’s >> get out of the podium. >> Do you baboop baboop? I think that was it. >> Do you to Scott now sometime? >> I just kind of walk by. Baboop baboop. >> Okay. Um, >> just with Tony, you mentioned Monday you hadn’t heard from the league at this point. Assume that he’s in the clear as far as any additional punishment. >> I I haven’t heard anything. >> I’m going to check with Joe if he’s heard something, but I have not. >> You have a chance to play spot this weekend. Do you bring that up to your team at all or rather focus on the task at hand? Um yeah, focus on the T when win when you know I know uh the scenarios are win and right when and something else happens you know uh so the big part of that is Win.

LA Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh speaks to the media during Week 16 of the 2025 NFL season. Harbaugh provides injury updates, discusses the team’s prep for the Sunday faceoff against quarterback Dak Prescott & the Dallas Cowboys, and the team’s mentality ahead of an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot.

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10 comments

  4. I still don't think Herbert is good enough to win a super bowl. This was one of those games where he should sit down for 6 to 8 hours and watch it over and over with a remote controller with play, stop, forward and reverse buttons. You can't force yourself to come up with ideas about the offense. Ideas just sort of pop up in your mind as you watch film for hours on end. On the first offensive drive of the game play #9 Herbert just has to make a decision and throw the football. Gadsden was open on a seam route and he might been running after the catch for awhile too. Herbert hesitates a little bit and then ends up throwing an incomplete pass. The recognition was slow. How can you explain it was a passing play where a guy was open and you throw the ball? You don't need to look any further than that nobody else was open and like I said he might of been running for awhile after the catch. Because on that drive the Chargers had to settle for a field goal. So to me your quarterback has to recognize those plays when he drops back because it's there. On the next play after that play #10 he completed a pass to Keenan Allen. It was a 2nd down completion and it did move the ball closer to the goal posts, but Kimani Vidal swung out to the left on a route down the sideline while two defenders were staying near Keenan one outside and one inside as Keenan layed in underneath. So they're probably not wanting to give up a 1st down on a completion to Keenan. And these are decisions that are going to be left up to the quarterback to take. Because if he throws a hole shot over the outside defender towards the boundary Vidal probably would've been open over the top. It's not way over the top like on a bomb or a hail mary throw, but one of those hole shots up the field. There was another play I believe it was in the 2nd quarter same thing but where do you want to take the guy underneath or do you want to take the guy over the top because they're both open. And those decisions might be based off a game management perspective like on play #10 and other times it might not be. And as far as the rest of the game i thought it was okay. There was a couple of passes literally like one or two where the receivers were covered except for maybe one where there was a little bit of separation but not a lot where Herbert could've thrown the football. There was one pass for sure more of a hole shot out to the boundary on his right side where the receiver was running a corner-like route but it was not an out route. It would've been one of those plays where there wasn't a lot of margin to work with but there was a little bit. And you gotta work with it you and the whole offense has to be good at working with it. The blocks up front in pass protection, the recognition of the throw by the quarterback and putting the football where only the receiver can catch it, and the receiver he might end up having to deal with a defender's hand getting up and/or into where his arms are at and having to make the catch. I think if you look at this game it was better than what it's been the last month in terms of pass efficiency. Because you're trying to keep your run game going too right? Hard to let Omarion Hampton who's a 1st round pick ride the bench. The thought of that makes me cringe. And you need that run game. But Herbert completed 19 of 29 pass attempts for 210 yards, a touchdown, 1 interception, and was sacked 4 times. So better pass efficiently really just means making those extra completions that you know could've been made but weren't without having to throw it with more repetitions. And somewhere down the line it's going to cost the offense in points. How many points? I don't know but it's going to cost in points. And that offensive drive to start off the 3rd quarter the Chargers got into a goal to go situation and settled for a field goal. There was a couple of passing plays where I thought the quarterback could've thrown one of those floaters out towards the boundary as one of the receivers was fading out towards the boundary of the end zone and maybe he could've caught a ball while dragging his feet inbounds for a touchdown. I thought there was enough separation there if the ball was thrown in a perfect spot. Not really into jump balls or 50/50 balls in the end zone. Nobody else really seemed to be open for a rifle shot in the end zone. Maybe there was a couple passes that could've been completed in the middle of the field but I have to work i can't watch hours on end of the film. If Herbert spent the time necessary watching the film it's like looking for Waldo. I don't know what else i can relate it to at least when you're looking at a video screen? But the offense is somewhat in tatters with the injuries to the offensive line and Herbert looking unsettled in the pocket. Ever since that game against the Broncos it's just been a bad combination of offensive line injuries and defenses copying what they were basically doing and that's getting ample or extreme pressure on Herbert. It's been one of those seasons where it's been hard to bounce fully back from it. It's like a ship that's been swamped and it hasn't sunk but you've been trying to bail out water and the ship just doesn't sail with all that water filled up in the hull. It was a storm that has left the offense stranded in some ways but not totally shipwrecked. But the way defenses have been playing against the Chargers offense i do think a lot of what they've been doing is based off of some bad tendencies that Herbert needs to break. So inspite of there being injuries on the offensive line you can run the ball if you have a running back. And that's the thing until the Chargers with Justin Herbert can make it look like either run or pass defenses will already know pre snap if it's going to be run or pass. And I thought that happened maybe not a ton but it did happen sometimes and the Chiefs on defense they knew it, they knew Herbert was throwing the football. And you don't want that you want to try and conceal what the offense is doing as much as possible. If they're blitzing on early downs it's because they know you're probably going to pass. On the one play where Herbert threw the interception i think the Chiefs brought 8 but the Chargers were in an 8 man protection, but there was still a guy that got a free release on the quarterback. It's been wild out there sometimes. He's been moving around in the pocket but it seems like at times he might be doing it to just do it. And I think that if you can relate it to anything it's one of those things that you don't do to just do it, but only when you have to do it. And with some of those loaded fronts on earlier downs you know what came to my find? Opportunities to run some screen plays. Maybe like 3 or 4 screens? At least a couple of good ones be creative. Be a screen queen when you have to be one. Because when they come down with that extra man in the box or to load the box up yeah it might be to stop the run, but if you're passing on those downs they could also be blitzing. And so when I see a defensive front with their players concentrated like they have been at times down in the box and on the line of scrimmage the thought that popped into my mind was screen. And you need plays where things are just baked in. So the quarterback drops back and if they back out it's not a screen if they're bringing the house that's where the offense could then shift-shape like a reptilian and run a screen. I have these cranberry orange breakfast scones. And sometimes i would like butter but I dont always have butter with me. Who carries butter around with them? If I made those scones (which I didn't i bought them at Sprouts) I could knead some butter into the dough and baked butter into the scones along with the other ingredients that are baked in. And that's how offensive plays work you have to have various concepts baked into one play and you have all these different plays right? It helps increase the chances of offensive execution. Because after you play so much football you start to advance, you start to get smarter. I mean you have to. There's some sloppy play execution and you can't have that. Sloppy play execution is going to cost in points. On all of the incomplete passes and quarterback sacks how many of those plays would it be better to just throw the ball away and kill the down? Because there might be one of these games where the quarterback turns the ball over a ton and the team loses because of it. Should the quarterback always kill a down on throw aways? Probably not always and if you've playing and/or coaching football long enough that's probably self explanatory. But there was plays where nobody was open unless you wanna throw an interception? Or the quarterback just didn't have time to wait for anybody to get open. Because there was some plays where the quarterback was going to his back while throwing an incomplete pass or he's trying to step up in the pocket and he's trying to change the ball from one hand to the other and I'm not saying Herbert doesn't know what he's doing. He's made some plays in the past that have helped the team win. It's one of those things where you just gotta watch the film for a long time and let all that of what you're looking at over and over go into your calculus and see if you can't think of some better answers. If you can't come up some better answers I guess you just keep playing the way you've been playing. It's later in the season and the team is 10-4 just trying to see if there isn't a way to get more points out of this offense without turning the football over?

  6. I’m no expert but Jim doesn’t sound too enthusiastic about how he “likes” the way the offense is running. Typical protecting his guy. Can’t imagine he brings Roman back, especially if our offense is the reason we lose in the playoffs. It’s embarrassing and obvious how bad Roman is. You can dress a pig up in makeup, but it’s still a pig. Motioning Penning and running more is nice, but the situational play calling, passing game, and flow / rhythm of the offense is atrocious. It’s a shame with how well our defense is performing and that we have a $50m QB. With a legit OC and a top 10 offense, we will win a SB. Who knows how long we will have Minter, but with elite talent, he will coach a top 3-5 defense.

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