If you had asked fans during the preseason which NFL team would be winless by Week 7, they probably wouldn't have guessed the one led by Jim Harbaugh, quarterbacked by Justin Herbert and play calling run through Mike McDaniel. Yet, the Los Angeles Chargers are 0-6 and seem to have no answer on how to turn things around.

The 2026 season is exceptionally bad for the Harbaugh regime which was already beginning to skate on thin ice entering year three. Los Angeles thrived in the regular season the last two years, combining for a 22-12 record but falling flat in each of the team's first playoff games. A postseason run is most certainly out of the question this year but bringing in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator was supposed to unlock Herbert's full potential.

Instead, the Chargers and their supposed franchise QB have sunk well below the averages of the last two seasons which fans had already chalked up to be failures. Los Angeles averaged roughly 22.7 points per game across the 2024 and 2025 seasons (770 total points scored). This year, after six games, it's averaging just 15 points (90 total points). The Chargers averaged 347.2 yards of total offense per game in Harbaugh's first two years but have only managed 309.2 yards per game this year.

Specifically for Herbert, he's completed just 59.4 percent of his passes and averaged 190.2 yards per game this year compared to a 66.2 percent clip and 223.4 yards per game in 2024 and 2025. He's also seen an uncomfortably steady incline in turnovers since Harbaugh took over too. He threw just three picks in 2024, followed by 13 in 2025 and is well on pace to surpass that total with eight so far this year. Herbert is also tied with Baker Mayfield for the most losses by a QB since the start of 2020 with 49.

Which coach deserves the most blame for Chargers' 2026 collapse?

So the question now begs: did McDaniel absolutely destroy Los Angeles' offense or has Herbert just completely devolved into a terrible quarterback under Harbaugh's tutelage (or just been exposed for what he's always been)? Well, it's probably a good mix of both.

McDaniel's system clearly isn't working for Herbert and despite his shortcomings as a passer in general, Harbaugh clearly didn't teach him anything that could withstand an offensive coordinator change. Sooner or later the front office is going to have to decide what goes first: McDaniel, Harbaugh or Herbert?

The likeliest answer would be McDaniel. Sure, it may be brash to dismiss a coordinator after just half a season with an organization, but a winless start is a rather stark contrast from the last two years. The pair of double-digit campaigns, despite no playoff success, may have bought Harbaugh a little more time to try and figure things out after this failed experiment. Herbert's value, however, is tanking fast and general manager Joe Horitz will have to decide if the former first-round pick is still worth investing in.

If the team were to make a sharp turn in direction, specifically at quarterback, a trade wouldn't happen until the offseason. There's reason to waive the white flag on this season but not Herbert's future until a Godfather offer is made. McDaniel, unfortunately, is going to have to reevaluate his coaching strategy if he's going to be forced to find employment elsewhere.

Harbaugh should be nervous too. He may not get the boot right now but if things get exponentially worse, there's a realistic chance ownership decides the performance this year is just too embarrassing to let go. If a fix is coming, it must arrive after the bye for the Chargers' Week 8 tilt against their SoFi Stadium neighbors, the Rams.