A season that began for the Los Angeles Chargers with high expectations and hopes of competing for a Super Bowl ended with a whimper when the Chargers were officially eliminated from playoff contention after losing to the Buffalo Bills in Week 16.
This was supposed to be a team on the rise led by a dynamic young signal caller in Justin Herbert. Their latest lost campaign has left everyone wondering what went wrong for the Chargers in 2023, and whether or not the team is in a position to turn things around so that they can find their way back into the playoffs next year.
While very few players or coaches lived up to expectations for the Chargers this season, the following individuals had an outsized role in what went wrong in 2023. These people must shoulder the lion’s share of the blame for the Chargers’ dismal season, so let's find out who those folks are.
Michael Davis
The Chargers pass defense is a major reason for their disastrous season. Derrick Ansley’s unit allowed opponents to average more than 260 yards per game through the air, and they have given up 24 passing touchdowns with two games left to go in the regular season.
Michael Davis has been a big part of the team’s struggles in the secondary, giving up 55 completions on 84 targets. He hasn’t made an impact as a ballhawk either, only recording one interception so far this season.
When a team struggles to defend against the pass, it can place a significant burden on the rest of their team. This is because it is demoralizing when an opposing offense is able to eat up chunk yardage and march down the field in a short period of time, where there is seemingly no way to stop them. This effect can be amplified when your team is struggling to create points and the opposing team makes it look effortless.
The Chargers were around the middle of the pack in terms of run defense in 2023, giving up just over 110 yards per game on the ground on average.
It was their pass defense that absolutely killed their chances of competing. This will need to be addressed and resolved before the 2024 season kicks off if the Chargers want to be viewed as true Super Bowl contenders.
Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert didn’t have a particularly terrible season, but he also did not quite live up to the standards that have become expected of him.
It may seem unfair to point to Herbert as a reason why the Chargers underperformed in 2023, but that is the reality of life when you are viewed as a franchise quarterback in the NFL.
Franchise quarterbacks are expected to weather the storm, and find a way to elevate their team. No matter what challenges or extenuating circumstances they face.
Injuries can’t be an excuse for a franchise quarterback. An underperforming supporting cast can’t be an excuse for a franchise quarterback. Poor leadership and decision making by the coaching staff can’t be an excuse for a franchise quarterback.
If Herbert wants to prove himself as one of the few true franchise QBs in the league, he needs to take the next step, which is elevating himself and his team.
While Herbert didn't play poorly, there is certainly room for him to continue improving as well. In particular, Herbert struggled late in games this season. This marks a difference from his first few years in the league where he became known for authoring clutch scoring drives in the fourth quarter and overtime.
The Chargers are still a talented team and Herbert is still an elite level quarterback. If the young passer is able to clean things up and show improvement in crunch time when the game is on the line, the Chargers should be in a good position to bounce back next season and compete for a Super Bowl ring.
The Chargers entire offensive line
Herbert has been sacked 29 times this season. To be blunt, that is simply unacceptable for an offense that wants to be a contender in the National Football League. Some of the blame falls on Herbert for missing open receivers or hesitating to make a throw on occasion, but the Chargers offensive line certainly deserves its share of blame as well.
When a quarterback is constantly under pressure and running for his life, it makes it extremely difficult to run deep plays down the field that take time to develop. It is also difficult for the quarterback to stay in the pocket and find open receivers downfield.
Brandon Staley
Brandon Staley failed at the most basic and core element of being a head coach in the NFL: he lost the locker room. Staley refused to take responsibility and accountability for disastrous losses on multiple occasions, and that attitude is simply unacceptable for a head coach.
That mentality and lack of taking accountability can also spread and infect the rest of the locker room, leading to a talented team underperforming expectations drastically. Although Staley was fired, it will require a cultural overhaul for the locker room to rid itself of Staley’s corrosive attitude. A new culture of accountability that is conducive to winning will take time to establish, but it must be done.
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