One Glaring Statistic Shows How Quickly Chargers Have Digressed

The third year of the Jim Harbaugh Era with the Los Angeles Chargers has been anything but charming. One very negative number stands out most this season.

Oct 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) sacks Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s been a horrendous four weeks the AFC team that shares SoFi Stadium with the Los Angeles Rams? It’s been a forgettable start to 2026 for the Los Angeles Chargers, who have lost their first four games for the first time since 2017. The head coach that season was Anthony Lynn, who helped the club bounce back with nine victories in their final 12 games to finish 9-7.

Is the latter in the cards for these Bolts? Judging by the team’s performance to date, it seems very remote that this franchise is gearing up for a strong 13-game finish, much less repeat its historic feat of 1992. Of course, never say never is really a big part of the today’s National Football League—which now has every team playing 17 regular-season games.

The Jim Harbaugh Era with the Chargers began with promise

USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

So how have things gone south so fast? Let’s take a trip back to 2024 and one-time San Francisco 49ers' head coach Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL. The Chargers won their first two games and eventually finished 11-6. Quarterback Justin Herbert took a back seat to a physical running game. The young signal-caller connected on 65.9 percent of his passes for 3,870 yards, 23 TD passes and just three interceptions.

Harbaugh’s club turned over the ball a mere nine times—the third-fewest by a team in a single season in NFL history. Then came the playoff disaster at Houston in which Herbert was picked off four times—one of those thefts returned for a score.

The 2025 season was a painful learning experience for Justin Herbert

This is what it looks like every time Justin Herbert drops back to pass. Congrats to Mike Vrabel and the Patriots. They’re going to be good for a long time to come. pic.twitter.com/pksFNJKeKP

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 12, 2026

This past season, the Bolts once again finished 11-6 and reached the playoffs. But this was a battered club missing its starting tackles for either part (Joe Alt) or the entire (Rashawn Slater) season.

The offense was understandably stagnant, Herbert was sacked 54 times in 16 regular-season contest, and six more times in the playoff loss at New England. The turnover number jumped from nine to 21, and Herbert also lost a fumble against the Patriots.

It’s all gone wrong for the mistake-prone Bolts in 2026

*If the #Seahawks don’t intercept this Justin Herbert ball it’s a touchdown #hypothetical pic.twitter.com/QsDpr113ei

— Poor Sportsmanship (@PoorSportsMedia) October 4, 2026

And that brings us to 2026. After four weeks, the Chargers have scored 67 points, scored seven touchdowns, and turned over the football 10 times—one more time than in all of the 2024 regular season, and tied for the most in the league.

THE SEAHAWKS DEFENSE FORCES THE GAME-WINNING FUMBLE 😤

Former Charger Uchenna Nwosu gets to Justin Herbert and gets the strip sack 💪

Seattle moves to 3-1 while Los Angeles falls to 0-4. pic.twitter.com/8T8dj0Ilel

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 4, 2026

It was supposed to be different this season with a new offensive coordinator in Mike McDaniel, a bolstered front line, and a defense that was a Top 5 unit in 2025. And four weeks into the season, these Chargers are the only team in the division with a losing record, and four games behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.