5 Reasons Jaguars Will Be Better Than Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers in 2026

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- When it comes to how most national outlets view the AFC's power structure, one team that is often mentioned before the Jacksonville Jaguars is the Los Angeles Chargers.

This, of course, is despite the Jaguars defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in a blowout victory last November. But what are the other reasons the Jaguars should be looked at more closely as an AFC contender than the Chargers? We break a few of them down here below.

Trevor Lawrence vs. Justin Hebert

jacksonville jaguar — Nov 16, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) shakes hands with Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) following a Jaguars victory at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It is always silly to do quarterback vs. quarterback comparisons, but it is also a bit staggering to see the lack of success Justin Herbert has had against the Trevor Lawrence Jaguars, who he is 0-3 against. Herbert has not beaten the Jaguars since his rookie season in 2020, and those three loses have consistent of two regular-season beatdowns and one of the greatest playoff comebacks in recent sports history.

Herbert is a good quarterback, and he is widely regarded in national football circles as a better pure quarterback talent than the Jaguars' own franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence. But, for whatever reason, Lawrence and the Jaguars are always able to outperform Herbert and the Chargers, no matter the context, the teams, or where the game is played.

This is not to say Herbert doesn't have the talent and the abiltiy to threaten the Jaguars if these two teams end up playing each other in the post-season. But Lawrence has been able to consistently find an edge over Herbert, and there is little reason to think this will change now that Lawrence is set to have perhaps the best year of his entire career in 2026.

Jaguars CBs vs. Chargers WRs

travis hunte — Sep 21, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Travis Hunter (12) before the play against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chargers are not on the Jaguars' schedule, so any potential matchup would come during the AFC playoffs. In the event we do get a rematch of the 2022 Wild Card Round, though, there is one clear area where the Jaguars will have an edge over the Chargers on the field, and that is in the secondary. The Jaguars' secondary was able to toy with the Chargers in 2025, and that was even without the Jaguars having future No. 1 cornerback Travis Hunter on the field.

Ladd McConkey is a solid receiver and Quentin Johnston has certainly had his moments in recent years. But Hunter is an elite talent who has the ability the completely take away either of those targets from the game, and then the Jaguars' cornerback depth behind Hunter far outweighs the wide receiver depth the Chargers currently have on their roster.

The Chargers' wide receiver room could turn out to be better than my projections but, for right now, it looks like the Jaguars' Hunter-led cornerback room would have a fairly significant advantage if these two squads met between the lines.

Jaguars DL vs. Chargers OL

Nov 16, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker (44) pressures Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) into an intentional grounding penalty during the first quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Jaguars' defensive effort against the Chargers last season just might have been their best of the entire season. According to NFL's NextGenStats, "the Jaguars pass rush posted a season-high 50.0% pressure rate (16 pressures, 3 sacks) against a depleted Chargers offensive line. Josh Hines-Allen led the team with 7 pressures (more than double the next closest pass rusher)." In short, the Jaguars were able to get after Justin Herbert pretty much at will, and everyone was able to more or less take turns.

Now, that could of course change this year now that the Chargers are expected to have something a little closer to an NFL-quality offensive line on the field. But we have seen Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker dismantle the Justin Herber-led Chargers passing attacks before, and it certainly would not be a surprise to see it happen again if these two teams were to meet in the playoffs at any point.

Liam Coen Factor

Liam Coen has gotten the best out of the Chargers in the last two seasons, with his offense consistently producing results both during his year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and last year in his first year with the Jaguars. Coen is one of the NFL's top offensive minds and play-callers, and there is a good argument to make that the Jaguars are set to have one of football's best skill groups at his disposal this season.

Until the Chargers show much ability to slow down Coen and the momentum he has been able to give the Jaguars, then the Jaguars have a clear edge. Coen is the Jaguars' X-Factor most weeks to begin with, but it is especially true against a Chargers defense and roster that Coen has been able to find success against at a consistent rate over the years. With Coen at the helm, the Jaguars are dangerous to any team, especially the Chargers.

Chargers' DC Question

chris olear — Jun 17, 2026; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary at press conference during minicamp at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chargers made two big coordinator hires this season. The hire of former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has been properly lauded as one of the biggest hires of the entire offseason, but it is the Chargers' defensive coordinator hire that just might be the most important addition the Chargers made this offseason. Jesse Minter was one of the best coordinators in football last season, and the Chargers' replacement for him is a relative newcomer in Chris O'Leary.

O'Leary was the Chargers' safeties coach in 2024 before becoming the defensive coordinator and safeties coach for Western Michigan last season. The Chargers tabbed O'Leary to be the next man up earlier this offseason, but the fact that he is so relatively inexperienced means it might be a leap to call the Chargers a better squad than the Jaguars when one side of the ball is such a question mark.

Now, the Jaguars were in a similar spot last year with a first-year coordinator in Anthony Campanile. He didn't have any NFL coordinator experience and was a relatively new name at the position, and he turned out to be a stellar hire. O'Leary could do the same thing for the Chargers, but it might be better to take a wait-and-see approach.

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