The Los Angeles Chargers reached the postseason for the second consecutive year under head coach Jim Harbaugh, but once again saw their run end in the Wild Card round. Despite consistent regular-season success, Los Angeles has now managed to score just once across its postseason appearances during that stretch.
Following Sunday night’s 16–3 loss to the New England Patriots, difficult questions are inevitable, and Harbaugh appears prepared to confront them.
Jim Harbaugh Hints at OC Greg Roman’s Firing
While limiting the Patriots’ explosive offense, which is ranked second in the league according to PFSN’s NFL Offense Impact Metric, to just 16 points highlighted an impressive defensive performance, the Chargers’ offense once again failed to deliver. Los Angeles managed only three points as New England’s defense relentlessly pressured quarterback Justin Herbert.
Herbert completed just 19 of 31 passes for 159 yards. He was pressured 17 times, sacked 6 times, and forced to scramble repeatedly, ultimately leading the team in rushing with 57 yards on 10 carries.
Although blame can be distributed across multiple areas, offensive coordinator Greg Roman appears to be at the center of accountability following the loss.
When asked whether Roman remains the right person to call plays, Harbaugh offered a notably noncommittal response. “I don’t have the answer to that right now,” he said.
“We’re gonna look at that and everything,” he also said, via Kris Rhim of ESPN.
Roman’s position was further undermined by comments from Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane, who revealed postgame that Chargers players admitted they were unsure of New England’s defensive coverages.
“After the game, talking to a few of the guys on the other team, they had no clue what we were doing. They came up and said that,” he said.
Roman and Harbaugh’s professional relationship dates back more than two decades, beginning in 2001 when Harbaugh was still an NFL quarterback. Roman later joined Harbaugh’s staff at Stanford before following him to the San Francisco 49ers, and the pair were reunited once again in Los Angeles. However, Harbaugh’s lack of public support during his press conference suggests that change may be imminent.
Roman has enjoyed success throughout his coaching career, most notably serving as offensive coordinator during Lamar Jackson’s MVP campaign in 2019. However, offensive consistency has been an ongoing issue, and recent postseason performances have been especially concerning.
Herbert has thrown just 1 touchdown against 4 interceptions over the Chargers’ last two playoff appearances, and these numbers may ultimately define Roman’s tenure in Los Angeles.
