(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh blamed himself for a 23-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, calling a failed fourth-and-1 try from his own 41-yard line the wrong decision.
With the Chargers leading 17-10 and 10:33 remaining, Harbaugh kept the offense on the field. Quarterback Justin Herbert was stuffed well short of the line to gain, and five plays later Denver tied the game with a touchdown.
The loss dropped the Chargers to 0-5 for the first time since 2003, according to ESPN.
“I can’t think of a time where I’ve been more mad at myself,” Harbaugh said. “This team works so hard, played so valiantly. And yeah, I take 100% accountability for making that decision and turned the momentum of the game. So it was the wrong one and I got to be right on those.”
Analytics Backed the Call
ESPN Analytics agreed with Harbaugh’s choice, giving the Chargers an 82% win probability if they went for it compared with 79.8% if they punted.
An 8-yard Herbert run on third-and-9 set up the fourth-down play. Playing behind an injury-depleted offensive line that started four rookies, Herbert was swarmed in the backfield. Harbaugh said that when he saw the Broncos’ defense gap down, he should have called a timeout and punted.
Herbert, who converted a quarterback sneak earlier in the game, defended his coach. “I think it’s on me to get a yard. We got to be able to push and get a yard,” he said.
Harbaugh also went for it on fourth-and-6 from his own 31 later in the quarter with Denver ahead 20-13. That attempt ended with Herbert’s sixth interception of the season. ESPN Analytics also supported that decision.
Kansas City Up Next
The Chargers are coming off back-to-back 11-win seasons. They visit the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday trying to avoid an 0-6 start, a game fans can follow across legal U.S. sportsbooks and sports betting apps.
“I did not put our players, our team, our organization in the best position to win that game,” Harbaugh said.