chargers

Justin Herbert is prioritizing on-field execution as the Chargers seek their first win.

That’s why the seventh-year quarterback cut off a reporter’s question about whether the team’s locker room needs heightened vocal leadership as the Chargers carry an 0-2 record into Sunday’s road game against the unbeaten Buffalo Bills.

“I think I’m going to stop you right there,” Herbert said. “We’ve got great leadership on this team. I trust those guys in that locker room, so I don’t think anyone has panicked or worried because that’s not going to do us any good.

“It’s [about] moving on to the next play and understanding we’re close, we made mistakes, how do we fix it and how do we move on?”

Herbert’s intense messaging was surprising. The quarterback usually speaks in emotionless platitudes during news conferences.

But that response, or leadership — a trait teammates and coaches see far more from Herbert than the public — is one of several reasons why the Chargers are supporting their quarterback despite the offense’s sloppy start to the season.

“Ain’t anybody giving up on anything,” wide receiver Tre’ Harris said. “Everybody’s still on the same page. Everybody has extreme belief in 10 — I know I do — and extreme belief in [offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel] as well. We’ll go out there and do what we need to do.”

The Chargers are averaging just 14 points per game, above only the winless Miami Dolphins (13) and the 1-1 Pittsburgh Steelers (11.5).

And Herbert is partially responsible.

He ranks 27th in completion percentage (59.3%) through two weeks and is 23rd in passing yards (401) with the second-most interceptions (3).

“By default, Justin blames himself,” McDaniel said.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is sacked by Arizona Cardinals linebacker Jordan Burch on Sept. 13.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Herbert just hasn’t looked comfortable in yet another new scheme. But, as usual with him, context is key.

With a revolving door at left guard and rookie Jake Slaughter starting at center, the Chargers have allowed the league’s second-highest pressure rate (45.5%), according to Pro Football Focus.

Herbert’s pass-catchers have been inconsistent, too, struggling with pre-snap communication, frustrating — sometimes comical — drops and, of course, injuries.

The offense overall is having too many fumbles (7), penalties (15 for 109 yards) and other self-inflicted wounds. So while Herbert’s stats aren’t pretty, the Chargers’ woes go beyond his performances.

They have Herbert’s back, though, as they collectively sort things out.

“He’s been locked in [and] dialed in, man,” safety Derwin James Jr. said. “He’s working hard in the weight room [and] making all his throws out there. So, I can’t wait to try to get him some stops on Sunday.”

Then, there’s the McDaniel factor.

He admitted that he thought the Chargers would score more than 28 points thus far. As a result, he is considering “everything” moving forward, including shrinking the playbook.

McDaniel added that he and Herbert are “much closer” than they were two weeks ago as they work through the offensive struggles.

“It can be a lonely world as a starting quarterback — that’s a franchise quarterback — when you have successive losses,” McDaniel said. “It can be lonely as a playcaller [or] offensive coordinator. And the only way to approach it is that you’re not alone.”

The Chargers and their turbulent offense are on the verge of starting 0-3 for the first time since 2017.

Many outsiders are looking to Herbert to save the franchise from an abysmal season not many projected.

But to those in the building? They just want Herbert to be Herbert.

“One thing that separates him from a lot of other leaders … he’s the same person, each and every day, consistently great at everything he does,” said reserve quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.

After all, when Herbert’s comfortable, he’s arguably among the league’s top signal-callers.

“Since I’ve been with Justin, there’s not a thing I’d change about Justin,” coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Be careful what you wish for when you’re wishing for a new offensive coordinator.

Chargers fans were so over Greg Roman. Anything would be better than his run-heavy scheme stunting quarterback Justin Herbert’s anticipated ascension. Anyone would be preferable to the man holding the reins while the Chargers scored just three points in last season’s wild-card loss to the New England Patriots, after which Roman was fired.

Anyone such as, say, former Miami Dolphins coach and purported offensive guru Mike McDaniel?

Yeah?

About that.

Somehow, after just two games, the Chargers’ offense under McDaniel has Bolts fans wishing anyone else was running the show. Roman included.

Because Roman wouldn’t have overcomplicated a third-and-inches play-call. He wouldn’t have had the 6-foot-6, 240-pound Herbert line up in shotgun and call for motion.

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The Chargers lost to the Las Vegas Raiders 26-14 on Sunday, and the schedule doesn’t get any easier for them moving forward.

And the subsequent snap wouldn’t have hit receiver Tre’ Harris before it got to Herbert. And instead of losing five yards and having Herbert, in a rare show of emotion, slapping the turf in frustration, the Chargers probably would have gotten a fresh set of downs.

So far, McDaniel’s brief Chargers’ tenure hasn’t just been a disappointment. It has, through two games, been a disaster. Because the Chargers really needed these first two wins against opponents who both won only three games last season.

Instead, the Chargers’ offense looked as disjointed and discombobulated in Sunday’s 26-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders as it did the previous week in their 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

It was an unwanted second helping of “humble pie,” as McDaniel described the Chargers’ Week 1 defeat. And it was nasty.

Now the Chargers’ schedule is about to come at them fast, with their next games against the Buffalo Bills, the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and then the Rams, the preseason Super Bowl favorites.

After consecutive 11-win seasons under Jim Harbaugh — who’d never lost to the Raiders and never previously lost two consecutive games to start a season — the Chargers might blink and find themselves 0-7.

What’s worse than frustratingly quick postseason exits? Not making the playoffs at all.

And the Chargers are going to need to engineer a quick turnaround if they’re going to be among the 15% of teams that start a season 0-2 and still reach postseason play.

Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel walks on the sideline before a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 20.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

To do that, they’ll need to score more points. They’ll need to stop shooting themselves in the proverbial feet and take some better shots downfield. Stop dropping the ball — figuratively, literally. They fumbled six times Sunday!

And stop thinking so much. Sundays are for reacting, and any amount of thinking is overthinking.

Maybe it’s personnel? The fact that, outside of Ladd McConkey, the Chargers are short on receivers who can reliably create separation.

Maybe it’s just a matter of time that the Chargers don’t have much of, cramming to learn McDaniel’s methods, to dial in the timing and coordination.

Or maybe, for McDaniel, it’s as simple as simplifying what he’s trying to do with this Chargers offense.

When he was hired in January, the prevailing thought was that the cerebral partnership between McDaniel and Herbert would prove a perfect match.

Even though McDaniel was dismissed after the Dolphins missed the playoffs two consecutive seasons, the coach — who’d developed a reputation as a talented offensive mind under Kyle Shanahan with the San Francisco 49ers — was a hot commodity on the coaching market.

McDaniel reportedly drew interest from the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bills and Raiders. But he opted to come to L.A. to work with Herbert as the All-Pro QB’s fifth offensive coordinator in seven seasons (following three offensive coordinators in his four years at Oregon).

Starting over again, in these two games with McDaniel, Herbert has thrown for a modest 401 yards, just two touchdowns and three interceptions — though one of them bounced off David Njoku’s hands Sunday.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert watches a pass attempt fall incomplete after he is hit by Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce during the fourth quarter Sunday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

There have also been protection problems, fumbles, a missed field goal, and lots of penalties — including four on star left tackle Joe Alt, who was called for a hold that resulted in a safety on an anything-that-can-go-wrong-will-go-wrong Sunday.

“I’m not looking in any one direction,” Harbaugh said Sunday. “I’m looking at it all.”

On TV, Herbert appeared to be looking off into space on the sideline as McDaniel sat chattering beside him, the game mercifully winding down.

Asked what McDaniel’s message was to the offense, Herbert said: “I haven’t been able to speak with him after.”

There’s a lot to talk about, but be careful what you ask.

Struggling Chargers lose again

From Sam Farmer: Once is a hiccup.

Twice is a habit.

Maybe this is what the Chargers are — lurching, sputtering and unable to consistently move the football, despite an offensive overhaul packed with lofty expectations.

Just as they did in their abysmal season opener, the Chargers struggled at home Sunday and failed to establish a rhythm on their way to a 26-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Chargers lost to the Las Vegas Raiders 26-14 on Sunday, and the schedule doesn’t get any easier for them moving forward.

The Chargers lost their opener to the Arizona Cardinals by an identical score — 26-14.

In another bit of sad synchronicity, both the Raiders and Cardinals won just three games and fired their coaches last season.

“Not deterred,” said Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, off to his first 0-2 coaching start in college or the pros. “No one in that locker room is deterred.”

If so, the Chargers are showing far more determination off the field than on it. Because their play Sunday could buckle the resolve of even true believers.

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Chargers summary

NFL standings

Dodgers sweep the Giants

From Kevin Baxter: Only the Pirates and Cubs have met more often than the Dodgers and Giants, who faced off for the first time in 1889. And over all that time, the Dodgers are just two games better, with 1,294 wins to the Giants’ 1,292.

The Dodgers and Giants have also won more pennants, made more World Series appearances and have more players wearing their caps in the Hall of Fame than any other National League teams, all of which fueled a rivalry that was once among the most visceral and passionate in American sports.

But that was then and this is now.

After Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Giants, the Dodgers’ 14^th win in their last 17 games, the team could finish a season with 100 wins for the fourth time in six years. The Giants have had just one winning record in that time.

The Dodgers (96-60), who have won five straight division titles, are headed to the postseason for a record-tying 14^th consecutive year. The Giants will miss the playoffs for a fifth straight season.

So is the rivalry dead? That depends on who you ask.

“It’s always a rivalry,” Giants pitcher Logan Webb. “We’d like to make it a little closer when it comes to the standings. But I definitely feel it when I throw against them.”

But then Webb, who is from Northern California, grew up with the rivalry and, as the longest-tenured Giant, pitched against the Dodgers in games that mattered. Giants coach Ron Washington, who made his major league debut with the Dodgers when the rivalry was still a thing, said many players on San Francisco’s roster don’t know that background.

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Dodger Stadium has a botanic garden tour. Meet the man entrusted with making it a draw

Dodgers box score

MLB standings

Calling all Dodgers fans

Times sports reporter Kevin Baxter wants to talk to a few Dodgers fans for an upcoming story. If you are interested in speaking with him, please email him at kevin.baxter@latimes.com

Angels shut out by Twins

Alan Roden hit a three-run homer and drove in a career-high four runs, and Dean Kremer yielded one hit over six stellar innings in the Minnesota Twins’ 8-0 victory over the Angels on Sunday.

Josh Bell had three hits and two RBIs for the Twins (73-83), who have won three of five overall after splitting four games at Angel Stadium with two shutout victories. Brooks Lee added three hits and scored three runs.

Roden had three hits in his first major league game this month, punctuated by a shot to right in the seventh for his third career homer, his first since Aug. 6, 2025.

The game also was likely their last at Angel Stadium during the 24-year tenure of owner Arte Moreno, who intends to sell the team to Rams owner Stan Kroenke before next season begins.

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‘I try to bring the energy.’ Michael Araujo living his dream as the voice of Angel Stadium

Angels box score

MLB standings

Angel City routs Utah

Angel City cruised to a 3-0 road victory over a shorthanded Utah team that received two red cards in the first half.

Defender Paige Cronin and midfielder Ana Tejada were ejected by the 24th minute. Two minutes later, Ally Sentnor converted the resulting penalty kick past goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn to put Angel City (11-8-6) ahead in Sandy, Utah.

Two minutes after coming off the bench for the second half, Taylor Suarez made it 2-0 with a one-touch finish off a pass from Gisele Thompson.

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Angel City summary

NWSL standings

Sparks unveil Lisa Leslie statue, then win

From Jordan Puente: Sparks legend Lisa Leslie has officially been immortalized in Los Angeles.

Leslie, a two-time WNBA champion and member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, became the first female professional athlete to receive a statue outside of Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. After the ceremony, the Sparks earned a 105-84 win over the Portland Fire.

Leslie’s friends and family gathered outside the arena for the unveiling of the statue Leslie dubbed “The First Lady,” celebrating her 12-year pro basketball career in Los Angeles. Many speakers, including former Sparks coach Michael Cooper and Lakers legend Magic Johnson, noted Leslie’s accomplishments while also saluting her as a kind person.

Leslie became the second WNBA player to be honored with a bronze statue outside of a U.S. pro basketball arena, joining the Seattle Storm’s Sue Bird.

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This day in sports history

1940 — For the first time in the history of photo finishes a triple dead heat for first place is recorded, at Willow’s Park, Victoria, British Columbia.

1955 — Rocky Marciano knocks out Archie Moore in the ninth round at Yankee Stadium in New York to retain the world heavyweight title.

1980 — Richard Todd of the New York Jets completes an NFL record 42 passes and throws for 447 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-27 loss to San Francisco.

1982 — NFL players begin a 57-day strike.

1985 — Michael Spinks wins a 15-round unanimous decision over Larry Holmes Las Vegas to win the world heavyweight title.

1985 — Montana State’s David Pandt catches 21 passes for 169 yards against Eastern Washington to set an NCAA record.

1986 — Ken O’Brien’s 43-yard touchdown pass to Wesley Walker at 2:35 in overtime ends one of the highest scoring games in NFL history as the New York Jets defeat the Miami Dolphins 51-45. O’Brien passes for 479 yards and four touchdowns, all to Walker. Miami’s Dan Marino passes for 448 yards and three touchdowns as both quarterbacks set a record with 884 combined yards passing.

1991 — U.S. Basketball announces “Dream Team” for the 1992 Olympics.

1994 — The North Carolina women’s soccer team wins its 89th straight game, setting the unofficial record for the longest winning streak in college sports. The 5-1 victory over rival N.C. State broke the mark of 88 in a row set by the UCLA men’s basketball team during the early 1970s.

1997 — The Buffalo Bills stage the third-biggest comeback in NFL history, overcoming a 26-0 deficit to beat the Indianapolis Colts 37-35. The Bills made the greatest comeback in the 1992 AFC playoffs, wiping out a 35-3 deficit to beat the Houston Oilers 41-38 in overtime.

2003 — Sam Hornish Jr. wins the fastest open-wheel race in history at California Speedway. Hornish’s Chevrolet-powered Dallara averages 207.151 mph in the Toyota Indy 400 — breaking the previous closed course race record of 197.995, set here last year by Jimmy Vasser in a CART Champ Car event.

2008 — The United States take back the Ryder Cup with a 16 1/2-11 1/2 victory over Europe. It’s the largest margin of victory for the Americans since 1981.

2008 — Miami wins for just the second time in 22 games, ending New England’s NFL record 21 straight regular-season wins with a 38-13 win over the Patriots. Ronnie Brown scores a Miami-record four rushing touchdowns and passes for another. The 25-point loss is New England’s biggest in seven seasons at Gillette Stadium.

2014 — Tom Brady passes for 234 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots’ 16-9 win over Oakland. The win is Brady’s 150th career victory as a starting quarterback, joining Brett Favre (186) and Peyton Manning (169) as the only quarterbacks to accomplish the feat.

2018 — English golfer Oliver Fisher shoots the first round of 59 in the 46-year history of the European Tour. Fisher makes an eagle and 10 birdies on a par-71 course in the second round of the Portugal Masters held at the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Club in Vilamoura.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1934 — Daffy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals pitched a no-hitter against the Brooklyn Dodgers for 3-0 victory in the second game of an Ebbets Field doubleheader. Daffy’s brother Dizzy, held Brooklyn hitless until the eighth inning in the opener and won 13-0.

1947 — Boston’s Johnny Pesky had two hits in each game of a doubleheader and finished the day with 202 hits. Pesky surpassed the 200-hit mark for the third time in as many major league seasons. He is the only player to lead a league in hits in his first three seasons in the game.

1964 — Manager Gene Mauch’s first-place Phillies lost 1-0 to the Cincinnati Reds on Chico Ruiz’s steal of home in the sixth inning. It was Philadelphia’s first of 10 straight losses, a streak that cost them the NL pennant.

1970 — Oakland’s Vida Blue pitched a no-hitter in his eighth major league start, beating Minnesota 6-0.

1995 — Colorado’s John Vander Wal set a major league record with his 26th pinch-hit of the season with a home run in the seventh inning against San Francisco.

2000 — Colorado’s Jeff Cirillo doubled twice in a 13-4 win over San Diego, giving him 51 doubles for the year. Cirillo and Todd Helton (57) became the seventh pair of teammates in major league history to reach 50 doubles in the same season.

2001 — Albert Pujols hit a grand slam and doubled in a run in St. Louis’ 9-5 win over Pittsburgh. The slam gave him the major league record for extra base hits by a rookie (83), one more than Johnny Frederick’s total for Brooklyn in 1929.

2001 — Ranger infielder Alex Rodriguez hits his 47th home run tying the major league record for home runs in a season by a shortstop. Cubs legend Ernie Banks established the record in 1958.

2006 — David Ortiz hit his 51st and 52nd homers, breaking the Red Sox record for most homers in a season of 50 set in 1938 by Jimmie Foxx. The homers also set the major league record by a designated hitter at 45, two more than he hit when he set the record last season.

2008 — Baseball said farewell to Yankee Stadium, the home of baseball’s most famous team. What began with a Babe Ruth home run on an April afternoon in 1923 ended with Mariano Rivera retiring Brian Roberts on a grounder to first baseman Cody Ransom, completing a 7-3 victory over Baltimore.

2013 — Matt Carpenter broke Stan Musial’s team record for doubles by a left-handed batter in a season and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2. Carpenter’s fifth-inning double was his 54th of the season, one more than Musial’s total in 1953.

2016 — Rookie Gary Sanchez hit two more homers and drove in five runs to lead the New York Yankees to an 11-5 rout of the Tampa Bay Rays. Sanchez homered in his fourth straight game. The catcher hit a three-run shot in a four-run second off Alex Cobb and added his 19th homer in 43 games this season on a solo drive in the sixth against Justin Marks. Including two games last season, Sanchez became the first player in major league history to hit 19 homers in his first 45 games. Wally Berger, with the Boston Braves in 1930, went deep 19 times in his first 51 games.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Once is a hiccup.

Twice is a habit.

Maybe this is what the Chargers are — lurching, sputtering and unable to consistently move the football, despite an offensive overhaul packed with high expectations.

Just as they did in their abysmal season opener, the Chargers struggled at home Sunday and failed to establish a rhythm on their way to a 26-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Chargers lost their opener to the Arizona Cardinals by an identical score — 26-14.

A week after losing an opener for the first time in his career as an NFL head coach, Jim Harbaugh is off to his first 0-2 start as a coach in college or the pros.

It won’t get any easier. The Chargers play at Buffalo on Sunday against the 2-0 Bills, who have scored a combined 77 points in victories over the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions.

After that, the Chargers play at Seattle, at home against Denver, at Kansas City, and against the Rams as rare visitors at SoFi Stadium. Four opponents, four Super Bowl-winning coaches.

These first two games were supposed to be the soft start, of at least a relatively gentle ramp-up to the thorny part of the schedule.

Well, that’s out the window. The Chargers were dominated by Arizona, a team that won just three games last season, then dropped another home game to the Raiders. As head coach of the Chargers, Harbaugh had won all four of his previous matchups against Las Vegas.

The Chargers last started 0-2 in 2023, when they went on to finish 5-12.

Sunday, the Chargers were unable to get the ball downfield and repeatedly committed penalties and miscues that short-circuited drives. For instance, normally sturdy tackle Joe Alt was flagged for false starts three times.

Snapshot of another major problem: Trailing by a field goal late in the third quarter, the Chargers had a third-and-inches on their side of the field. They could have run a tush-push with 6-foot-6 Justin Herbert. They could have used 220-pound running back Omarion Hampton to hammer up the middle for a first down.

Instead, they had Herbert drop back into shotgun and sent Tre’ Harris in motion from right to left. Then, they snapped the ball at the precise moment the receiver was between center Jake Slaughter and the quarterback. The snap bounced off Harris’ knee, Herbert had to pounce on the loose ball and the threat was thwarted.

The normally stoic Herbert couldn’t hide his frustration. He appeared to angrily yell before retreating to the home sideline.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert reacts after an offensive holding penalty on Joe Alt results in a safety late in the fourth quarter Sunday against the Raiders.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Later, with slightly less than four minutes remaining, when the Chargers seemingly had a bit of momentum. They had just gotten a first down on a Raiders penalty — 12 men on defense — and had inched across the 50.

Herbert handed off to Hampton on a draw, and the second-year back was met by linebacker Nakobe Dean and promptly fumbled — one of six on the day for the Chargers. Safety Jeremy Chinn scooped up the ball and returned it 43 yards to the 16.

The final insult came on the Chargers’ last possession when Alt drew a holding penalty while trying to stop pass rusher Maxx Crosby, resulting in a safety.

Raiders fans at SoFi Stadium erupted in glee. For the Chargers, that singsong, taunting “Raiii-derrrs” chant will surely haunt their dreams. The TV cameras didn’t help matters, finding a lone Chargers fan amid an ocean of Raiders fans, a blue dot bobbing in a silver-and-black sea.

Three plays later, Kirk Cousins found Cody White with an 11-yard pass, the second touchdown of the day for the erstwhile practice-squad receiver.

The Chargers took a 14-10 lead midway through the third quarter when Herbert connected with tight end Oronde Gadsden II for a 10-yard touchdown.

But the Raiders responded on the ensuing possession when Cousins threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to White to put Las Vegas up, 17-14.

A key play in that drive showed the creativity of Klint Kubiak, in his first season as coach of the Raiders. Cousins took the snap and pitched the ball to Ashton Jeanty, who in turn threw it back to Cousins.

The quarterback then hit a wide-open Dareke Young for a 27-yard gain, giving the Raiders the ball deep in Chargers territory.

The Raiders led at halftime, 10-7, breaking a tie with four seconds remaining in the second quarter when Matt Gay kicked a 59-yard field goal.

Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first half, and each quarterback was picked off.

The Raiders scored first on a 40-yard touchdown reception by Tre Tucker, who was so wide open behind the defense he was able to turn and wait for the ball to arrive.

The Chargers answered in the second quarter when Hampton pounded across the goal line from the one.

That’s something the Raiders failed to do at the end of the opening quarter, when they had a first-and-goal from the four, yet couldn’t score on four consecutive Jeanty runs.

The Chargers had a similarly frustrating moment in the first quarter when Herbert found tight end David Njoku behind the Las Vegas defense and delivered the ball for what should have been a big gain.

Njoku bobbled the pass, however, and the ball was grabbed by rookie safety Hezekiah Masses, who had another pick in the fourth quarter during his first career start.

Making matters worse, Njoku suffered a knee injury on the play and did not return.

Jim Harbaugh had never lost an NFL opener as a head coach… until last Sunday.

Now, with the Las Vegas Raiders coming to town, Harbaugh is looking to keep another streak intact. With him as coach, his Chargers are 4-0 against the Silver & Black.

If Sunday’s game isn’t a must-win for the Chargers, it’s certainly a high-stakes contest on the heels of an opening flop against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Chargers did precious little right in that 26-14 defeat at SoFi Stadium, the first Week 1 loss for Harbaugh in seven openers.

The Chargers, who were favored by 9½ points, failed to generate anything close to a rhythm. The newly unveiled Mike McDaniel offense failed to get any real traction, and Justin Herbert was sacked three times.

One of the few bright spots for the Chargers was receiver Ladd McConkey, but his availability remains uncertain.

Meanwhile, the Raiders dominated the visiting Miami Dolphins, 27-13, handing Klint Kubiak a victory in his coaching debut. Granted, the Dolphins don’t show a lot of promise.

Harbaugh’s teams have swept the Raiders each of the past two seasons. In fact, the last time the Chargers lost to the Raiders was a 63-21 debacle Dec. 14, 2023, and Chargers coach Brandon Staley was fired the next day.

Mike McDaniel isn’t panicking.

But the Chargers’ new offensive coordinator knows his unit must show urgency and improvement Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders after a rude wake-up call in the season opener.

“You have a lot of visions coming to a new team and working on something for months. The vision never looked like that,” McDaniel said of the Chargers’ 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. “That’s the beautiful thing about football; like life, time spent forecasting [and] visualizing things going a certain way … no one cares about that.

“So, it was a case of humble pie.”

Quarterback Justin Herbert never looked fully comfortable. He completed 17 of 27 passes with 207 yards, one touchdown and one back-breaking interception.

The time-of-possession disparity also played a big role in the loss, with the Cardinals controlling the ball roughly 15 minutes longer.

Herbert knows that can’t happen again.

“It’s another opportunity for us to go play football, to be better, and to put our brand of work out there,” Herbert said. “I don’t think we were happy or content with [the] Week 1 effort. So, we’re doing everything we can to fix it and be better.”

Facing a Maxx Crosby-led Raiders defense that held McDaniel’s former team, the Miami Dolphins, to 13 points in Week 1, the Chargers are focusing on often-overlooked aspects, such as understanding assignments, communicating more clearly, cleaning up penalties and operating as a collective.

“These are elementary things,” McDaniel said.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert celebrates with coach Jim Harbaugh, center, and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel after a touchdown against the Cardinals on Sept. 13.

(Harry How / Getty Images)

The offense will need more production from several players, especially if wideout Ladd McConkey, who is questionable to play with a rib injury, is unavailable.

Wide receivers Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris, who each saw six targets in Week 1, should see increased involvement, as should speedy rookie Brenen Thompson.

“He’s been really good,” coach Jim Harbaugh said of Thompson. “Great opportunity for him [and a] great challenge.”

Tight end Oronde Gadsden II is another player who could play a key role in a revitalized passing attack.

“I would expect [Gadsden] to be more involved outside of an unforeseen situation where the game and the parameters with which you’re playing change, in which case we’ll address that,” McDaniel said.

Perhaps the most important player to watch Sunday will be Omarion Hampton. The second-year running back had just 12 carries for 43 yards and one touchdown while also losing a fumble against the Cardinals.

“Really just flush [Week 1],” Hampton said about the Chargers’ approach to facing the Raiders. “[And] look at all the stuff we can work on. Come back, regroup as a team, talk about what we need to do to move forward and make it not happen again.

“We all think the same thing … urgent to get how we want to play. That’s really the main thing going on in the locker room.”

Changes also will be apparent on the offensive line.

Trey Pipkins III (knee) won’t play against the Raiders, ending the rotation at left guard, at least for now. And while the team would rather be at full strength, Kayode Awosika — who played well against the Cardinals — will get a chance to prove himself without sharing snaps.

Nonetheless, as McDaniel emphasized, talk of expectations and adjustments don’t matter — it’s what shows up on film that does.

Good thing the Chargers’ new play-caller craves adversity.

“It’s been my favorite week of my employment here,” McDaniel said. “Because — I know [through] my experience in this league — do not measure anything beyond how a group of people handles adversity in the National Football League.

“It’s not if, it’s when.”

Jake Slaughter’s teammates could only laugh as the rookie center was swarmed by reporters asking him questions in the Chargers’ locker room.

“I don’t think he does too good with the cameras and stuff,” Isaiah World said as he recorded the spectacle with his phone. “He’s real old school.”

Whether he minds it or not, the precocious 23-year-old is living in the spotlight. Slaughter enters the Chargers’ season opener against the Arizona Cardinals as the starting center.

The second-round pick out of Florida took over the role after Tyler Biadasz, who signed a three-year deal with the Chargers last offseason, tore an anterior cruciate ligament in practice last month.

“Jake didn’t bat an eye,” offensive tackle Rashawn Slater said. “The way he’s built … he’s not going to hesitate.”

The 6-foot-4, 308-pound Slaughter, who started 33 games at center at Florida, is ready for his moment.

“You’re kind of foolish if you go into a football season not thinking you’re going to be the guy at some point,” Slaughter said. “You got to prepare like you’re going to play every snap of every series, every game … and that’s kind of been my approach since I’ve been here.”

At the time of Biadasz’s injury, Slaughter was a leading candidate in the team’s left guard competition. But the Chargers knew from the day they drafted him that he was fully capable of playing center if needed.

“Truthfully, I was like, dude, he’s going to be able to do either one,” general manager Joe Hortiz said.

Chargers defensive end Akheem Mesidor isn’t surprised by Slaughter’s seamless adjustment to center. The former edge rusher at the University of Miami remembers Slaughter’s time at Florida well.

“When we would scout him … it was always like … ‘I don’t like him,’” Mesidor said. “But then you get to meet him in person — he’s a great guy, bro. … Nothing like we portrayed him.”

Slaughter has shown the most important trait in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s system: conviction.

Grasping all of McDaniel’s concepts is no easy feat — even if they’re all Slaughter knows at the professional level. Yet the Chargers’ newest playcaller has been impressed with Slaughter’s comprehension and attention to detail.

“You can’t really compliment him. Not because he turns it down; he’s just not interested in hearing about his good play,” McDaniel said. “He wants to be corrected, and he wants to do the job right for the team. I feel like he’s wise … where he gets that regard, respect and trust of veterans — the end-all, be-all for rookies; he understands that.”

“You can tell he’s confident out there,” offensive tackle Joe Alt added. “We trust him. He trusts us.”

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert built trust with Slaughter this preseason.

(Ryan Sun / Associated Press)

Slaughter also has built trust with the franchise’s most important player: Justin Herbert.

The Chargers need to do a better job of protecting the seventh-year quarterback — and Slaughter needs to play a key role in that effort.

“He’s been awesome,” Herbert said. “He’s done such a great job of picking up the offense and playing like a veteran out there. Great to have a guy like that. He’s playing a lot earlier than I think he would have thought, but that hasn’t slowed him down.”

Slaughter credits his teammates and coaches for getting him up to speed after he was thrown into the fire.

Wide receiver Ladd McConkey said the locker room has “bought into” the Chargers’ new starting center. Offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III, meanwhile, took his praise for Slaughter a step further.

“He might be one of the smartest rookies I’ve ever seen,” Pipkins said.

Slaughter, however, earned veteran approval long before any cameras were crammed in his face. Coach Jim Harbaugh insisted he knew Slaughter was a starting-caliber player in early August.

“You know when you see it,” Harbaugh said.

But before the rookie can lose himself in any pressure or nerves on Sunday, he’s simply happy for the opportunity.

“That’s an experience I hope I’ll never forget,” Slaughter said about his upcoming NFL debut. “Something I really never thought I’d get to do growing up. It’s a really unique honor, and I’m really thankful I can be out there and play ball.”

Jim Harbaugh wants his teams to finish seasons the way they start them.

If the Chargers do that, they’re going all the way.

Counting his four seasons with San Francisco, Harbaugh is 6-0 in NFL season debuts as a head coach. That’s tied for the most opening victories without a loss in league history.

“It’s September. It’s time to play our first game,” Harbaugh told reporters this week. “And I support no cause, foreign or domestic, other than the greatness of the Los Angeles Chargers.”

His team plays host to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and oddsmakers see a blowout in the making. The Chargers are favored by 9½ points, the biggest spread of Week 1.

Despite a 2-0 start last season, the Cardinals lost 14 of the next 15 and wound up with the third overall pick in the NFL draft, which they used on Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. The rookie is questionable for this game because of an ankle injury.

Their quarterback is no longer Kyler Murray, now in Minnesota, but Jacoby Brissett, who is on his sixth franchise — and seventh if you count two stops in New England.

This game is the “Mike” drop, if you will, with Mike LaFleur coaching his first game for Arizona, and Mike McDaniel making his debut as Chargers offensive coordinator.

LaFleur and McDaniel have history. They were young offensive assistants in Cleveland, Atlanta and San Francisco and both represent branches of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree.

There’s a link too between Harbaugh and LaFleur. Both are younger brothers of other current NFL head coaches: Matt LaFleur of the Green Bay Packers and John Harbaugh of the New York Giants.

From the moment they arrive at school, Dos Pueblos High seniors Ruby Streatfeild and Brooklyn Hedricks are practically inseparable.

Whether in class, at lunch or in practice, the two spend so much of their time together they can finish each other’s sentences, and that synergy is one reason the Chargers are in the hunt for a CIF flag football championship. Their competitiveness is another.

“Me and Brooklyn are besties,” Streatfeild said. ”The biggest thing we have in common is we both want to win.”

Streatfeild began the season as a receiver but transitioned to quarterback when Ava Taiji sustained a tricep strain at the Chargers Invitational. She has flourished in her new role, passing for 823 yards and 18 touchdowns.

“It’s a lot harder, but I like it,” said Streatfeild, who has also rushed for 248 yards and five touchdowns. “I like getting the ball every play and being able to make more plays. It’s taught me to be a leader. It’s not just about being vocal, it’s about the energy you bring to the field and not letting a loss bring you down.”

The Chargers are 10-2 and have shut out five opponents. Their only defeats came within hours of each other at the Chargers Invitational, to reigning Southern Section Division I champion JSerra and Bonita Vista, the second-ranked team in the San Diego Section. They have won seven straight, giving up only 25 points in the process.

Naturally, Hedricks is Streatfeild’s favorite target.

“Brooklyn has the best hands and really good speed,” Streatfeild said. “If I throw her the ball, it’ll be caught.”

Hedricks, a receiver on offense and a linebacker on defense, has mutual trust in her quarterback. She already has 27 receptions for 355 yards and eight touchdowns.

“I know when Ruby throws it, it’s going to get there,” she said.

Both grew up playing soccer and their AYSO teams were once matched against each other at a tournament in Bakersfield when they were 12, although neither knew it at the time.

Dos Pueblos quarterback Ruby Streatfeild throws on the run during a 31-0 win over Santa Barbara.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“My family figured it out later,” said Streatfeild, who ended the first drive of last week’s nonleague game at Santa Barbara by rolling to her left and zipping a perfect pass to Hedricks in the corner of the end zone. Hedricks later scored on a 40-yard interception return in the team’s 31-0 victory.

“Ruby and Brooklyn have been with us since Day 1, they’re both three-sport athletes and both have sisters who also play,” said Dos Pueblos coach Doug Caines, who started the program in 2023. “It’s incredible for Ruby to be clicking this fast at a new position. As for Brooklyn, she’s so gifted at reading the quarterback. She had two pick-sixes at the Ventura Showcase.”

In the winter, the two play on the varsity soccer team (Hedricks plays forward; Streatfeild left back) under the guidance of Hedricks’ father George, who is also the head baseball coach.

“I don’t think we’ve ever assisted each other in soccer,” said Hedricks, who tallied six goals and three assists last season.

Asked which is more exhilarating — scoring a goal or a touchdown — the two looked at each other and said in unison: “A touchdown!”

Hedricks plays outfield in softball and will move from right field to center in the spring.

“I got a promotion,” she joked.

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1. Dos Pueblos receiver Brooklyn Hedricks catches a pass. 2. Dos Pueblos quarterback Ruby Streatfeild runs with the ball. (Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Hedricks had 30 hits, 23 RBIs and 20 runs with 26 putouts in 26 chances last season as Dos Pueblos advanced to the Division 3 semifinals.

Streatfeild’s spring activity is track and field, where she competes in the 100-meter dash, long jump and both relays. She ran the anchor leg as the Chargers set a school record in the 4×100 meters with a time of 48.66 seconds at the Division 2 prelims last year.

However, both consider flag football their primary sport and have received offers to play in college.

“My dad encouraged me to try out and I loved it from the start,” said Hedricks, who is the school’s all-time leader in interceptions with 45. “I’ve never struggled learning plays.”

Hedricks’ sister Reagan is a freshman linebacker and punter on the junior varsity team.

Streatfeild’s inspiration was her sister Sterling, who was a tailback and free safety and now attends Vanderbilt. Last June, the sisters helped the Conquer Chargers’ U17 team win the inaugural Roma Bowl in Italy after Sterling’s graduation. Ruby was named the tournament MVP.

“She was in ninth grade and came to watch her older sister try out and after that first day she said ‘I want to do that,’” Caines said of Ruby, who caught a team-best 104 passes for 1,101 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall.

Ruby Streatfeild has thrown for 823 yards and 18 touchdowns since switching from receiver to quarterback early in the season.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Streatfeild and Hedricks’ bond grew even stronger as teammates on the Conquer Chargers, which won the high school girls division at the NFL Flag championships in July in Westfield, Ind. That roster also featured Kacey Hurley, who quarterbacked Dos Pueblos to the Southern Section semifinals last fall and is now a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“We tried out in November and were with the team for eight months prior to nationals,” Hedricks said. “We trained once or twice a week in Camarillo and some days we carpooled.”

“It was fun experience but that was five-on-five not seven-on-seven, which is a whole different format,” added Streatfeild, who was thrilled to learn the next morning that a play she made — diving to catch the ball before it hit the ground — was No. 1 on the ESPN “SportsCenter Top 10.” She also made the list for her 60-yard touchdown catch in the playoffs last season against Edison.

“That just shows what a game-changer Ruby is,” Caines said. “I mean, to make an ESPN highlight not once but twice? Amazing!”

While they do not socialize much off campus, the hours they spend together on it have forged a close friendship.

“It’s harder to hang out after school because of where we both live,” said Hedricks, who has a 45-minute commute from Lompoc to Goleta. “Not a big deal — I’m used to it by now.”

Caines is grateful for the attention his stars have brought to Dos Pueblos, located in the foothills across the 101 Freeway from UC Santa Barbara.

Dos Pueblos’ Brooklyn Hedricks, left, celebrates with teammate Kindah Ahmad-Reda after returning an interception for a touchdown against Santa Barbara.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“We’re not in Orange County or San Diego, we’re the northernmost school in the Southern Section and we don’t get as much exposure but we’re fighting for relevancy,” he said. “It was so cool seeing 805 [area code] girls beat more established club teams from Texas and Florida. It shows we have good teams up here.”

Dos Pueblos finished 24-3 last season and played even with JSerra for almost three quarters before losing 20-0 in the Division 1 semifinals. This year’s goal is to make it to the finals.

“We’ve had a different quarterback every season, so this is nothing new,” Streatfeild said. “We’re still progressing but beating Westlake was huge. We have the best coach, so I think we can make the top division. We’re going to give it our all.”

The NFL mountaintop this season sits 10 stories underground.

That’s the subterranean field at SoFi Stadium, playing host on Feb. 14, 2027 to its second Super Bowl. The first came five years earlier when the Rams beat Cincinnati on their home field.

It will mark the ninth Super Bowl in the Los Angeles area across three venues: the Coliseum (two), Rose Bowl (five) and SoFi (two). But in some ways, all those previous games were a drumroll leading up to this one — Super Bowl LXI, in a futuristic $5-billion stadium, absent the lingering restrictions of a pandemic.

“Super Bowl LVI was an amazing experience, but it was still on that tail end of COVID, and it was not everything that this Super Bowl LXI could be,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business, international and league events.

“We didn’t do a Super Bowl Opening Night — it was virtual — and there were a lot of things we were still adjusting. … It was absolutely spectacular during the weekend and on game day, but I do think this Super Bowl gives us all the chance to do it full-on, in the way an L.A. Super Bowl can and should be.”

In the weeks leading up to the first Super Bowl at SoFi, there were misguided rumblings that the game might be moved to Dallas, because the NFL had secured that city as a backup. But those type of contingency plans are in place for every Super Bowl, and the game was not in serious peril of being moved. Still, there was a cloud of public doubt lingering over the event.

“Those rumors created a lot of havoc and uncertainty in our market,” said Kathy Schloessman, chief executive of the Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee for both games. “It was hard to get the excitement going because people didn’t know if the city was open or closed. I almost hate to say it because I don’t want to jinx anything, but this is our first normal Super Bowl planning.”

Super Bowls can take over a city. Look at the games played in New Orleans, Indianapolis or Houston. Seemingly every resident was aware the game was happening. But in some of the bigger cities — New York, Los Angeles, Miami — there aren’t reminders everywhere you turn.

Something that might offset that this season is ESPN is broadcasting the game for the first time, and has been hyping it ever since the most recent Super Bowl ended.

“It’s a year of the Super Bowl for them that ends in Los Angeles,” O’Reilly said. “That feels natural and poetic. I can’t say enough good things about the way they’ve embraced it.”

South side view of the field at SoFi Stadium.

(Sam Farmer / Los Angeles Times)

Disney is the parent company of ESPN, and likewise has embraced the game, which feels like a true confluence of the sports and entertainment industries.

“When I think about L.A. and brands coming together — Disney, SoFi Stadium, the Rams — I think it takes advantage of what the NFL had always hoped when bringing a Los Angeles team back,” Rams president Kevin Demoff said. “SoFi Stadium is that marriage of the NFL and entertainment.”

Whether they play in the game or not, the Rams are intimately connected to this Super Bowl, as they are the host team. That means they have a degree of financial responsibility to make good on the commitments made to the NFL when Los Angeles was awarded the game. They also are allotted more tickets to the game than the other franchises not hosting (or playing in) the event.

Although the Chargers were co-hosts for the first Super Bowl at SoFi, they opted not to host this one. According to a Chargers spokesman, they chose to cede the stage to Rams owner Stan Kroenke, whose vision they credit for the stadium and Hollywood Park development, but will make a “significant seven-figure financial commitment” to the host committee in the run-up to the game.

Part of Kroenke’s vision in moving the Rams and building the stadium and surrounding campus was to shift the center of gravity of the sporting world to Los Angeles. It’s worth noting that SoFi was a central location of the World Cup — the first U.S. goal was scored there — and will play host to swimming events in the 2028 Olympic Games.

“[SoFi] is now established as one of the world’s greatest sporting stages, which the Super Bowl helped put on the map the first time,” Demoff said. “But now it’s in the middle of this global run.”

It isn’t just the Super Bowl. SoFi will also play host to the NFL’s first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game — Rams versus Green Bay Packers — on Netflix.

“If you’re looking at the arc — not as a Super Bowl but how the NFL wanted to come back to Los Angeles — you have Disney, a longstanding, old-school entertainment partner,” Demoff said. “And then you have this element of streaming and new media and where the NFL is heading. It’s a really interesting juxtaposition.”

Six-time Pro Bowl receiver Keenan Allen was arrested Sunday in downtown Indianapolis on suspicion of drunken driving.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, officers observed a vehicle parked in a no-parking zone on the 100 block of South Meridian Street shortly after 1 a.m. and conducted a traffic investigation. While speaking to the driver, who was later identified as Allen, officers noticed signs of intoxication.

Following further investigation, the longtime Chargers player and current Indianapolis Colts receiver was arrested on preliminary misdemeanor charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher) and OVWI (operating a vehicle while intoxicated) endangering a person.

Jail records show that Allen was released Sunday afternoon and has a court date scheduled for Sept. 16.

“An arrest and a charge are merely accusations, and Allen should be considered innocent unless and until found guilty in court,” the police department said in a statement. “The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will make the final charging decision.”

Allen was selected by the Chargers in the third round of the 2013 draft and made the Pro Bowl each year from 2017 to 2021 and again in 2023. After playing with the Chicago Bears in 2024 and returning to the Chargers last season, Allen signed with the Colts earlier this month and was included on their initial 53-man roster when it was released Sunday evening.

“We are aware of the incident involving Keenan Allen last night,” the Colts said in a statement earlier on Sunday. “We are in the process of gathering more information and have no further comment at this time.”

Allen has 1,055 career receptions (13th all time) for 12,051 yards (33rd all time) with 70 touchdown catches (52nd all time).

The Chargers’ backup quarterback competition is over — for now.

Despite DJ Uiagalelei outperforming Trey Lance in Thursday’s preseason finale against the Rams, the incumbent was named QB2 once again, as the Chargers announced their initial 53-man roster Sunday evening.

“My mindset has just been stacking days,” Lance said. “As many days as I can have; good days that I could feel good about. Good reps [or] bad reps, I learn from them all.”

Choosing Lance, who is familiar with the role and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s system from their shared time with the San Francisco 49ers, was one of several interesting roster moves the Chargers made on cut-down day.

Most notably, punter and nine-year veteran JK Scott was released alongside running back Jaret Patterson.

It wouldn’t be surprising if the Chargers brought Scott back this week. However, he had a rough preseason, in which he showed abysmal tackling effort and shanked a punt.

“As competitors, yeah, I don’t like seeing that on tape,” special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken said.

Patterson, meanwhile, couldn’t crack a crowded running back room led by Omarion Hampton. Greg Desrosiers Jr. and Amar Johnson also didn’t make the roster despite promising showings during the preseason.

“I feel like I did everything I needed to do to kind of put all the teams on notice [and] put the front office here on notice,” Desrosiers said after rushing for 118 yards and a touchdown against the Rams.

Other intriguing players, such as wideout Dalevon Campbell, outside linebacker Kyle Kennard and linebacker Junior Colson, a third-round pick in 2024, were waived.

Some “bubble” players, though, did make the cut; cornerback Rodney Shelley is one of them.

The undrafted rookie put a bow on a strong camp by earning five tackles and a pretty pass breakup against the Rams. Plus, the Chargers made room for him by trading cornerback Avery Smith to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2027 sixth-round pick. The Chargers also traded defensive lineman TeRah Ewards to the Carolina Panthers for a 2028 sixth-round draft pick.

Jacob Spomer is another undrafted rookie who will remain in Los Angeles.

The offensive lineman impressed during training camp and adds depth after the Chargers assigned offensive lineman Branson Taylor to injury reserve alongside two-way trenches trooper Scott Matlock.

Of course, some waived players could see extended opportunities with the Chargers through the practice squad.

“I can’t really think of anybody that I’m going to tell their football lives are over to,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said Thursday. “I can’t think of one guy I’d say that to. I just don’t believe that.

“I’m probably going to put myself in their shoes and hopefully give them some great advice [on] what to do next. It’s going to be said with encouragement and love, because I truly believe in them.”