Jim Harbaugh has revived the LA Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers fans had little to write home about after witnessing a horrific 5-12 season in 2023 and the dismissal of former head coach Brandon Staley last December. The team was losing games it was supposed to win, often giving away leads in embarrassing fashion.

But with the Chargers now sitting at 7-3 in 2024, there has been a clear culture change within the organization, and it all started with new head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Ask any Chargers fan what they think of their new head coach, and they will have nothing but love for Harbaugh. And in the team’s primetime victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday, we witnessed the first true case of the Harbaugh effect. In a game in which the defense might not have pulled through, the Chargers, in fact, “bolted up” and battled through adversity to secure the win. After surrendering a 21-point lead to Joe Burrow’s gritty offensive game, the Chargers pulled away in the fourth quarter and left the NFL world in shock. Harbaugh proved emphatically that he was the right man for the job.

Harbaugh just knows how to win. He showed it when he was in San Francisco with the 49ers and in his national championship run at the University of Michigan last season. He puts players to work while maintaining a positive team environment, sparked by his own exuberant attitude, and simply produces a winning culture. He has created a family vibe with improved communication between the players and coaches, leading to a more motivated and competitive team.

Despite the difficulties the defensive side of the ball faced in the second half against Cincinnati, the defense has made all the difference this season. Under Harbaugh, the Chargers’ defense has become a dominant force. Before Sunday night’s game, LA had not allowed any team to score more than 20 points. The team’s defensive unit is top 10 in most defensive statistics, and most importantly of all, has been consistent.

On the offensive side of the ball, Harbaugh has implemented a more balanced approach by using the run game a lot more than Staley did. Quarterback Justin Herbert has been thriving under Harbaugh’s system. The former Oregon quarterback has not been filling up the stat sheet this season in terms of yards and touchdowns, but the same could be said for the interceptions column, where he only has one. Playing good, clean football being played on both sides of the ball has been the recipe for success with the Bolts so far this season.

The Chargers are inching closer to locking up a playoff spot, as they currently hold the five seed in the AFC playoff race. It is incredible how fast Harbaugh has “rebuilt” the team, especially because the Chargers still have players to develop and add to the roster who will make their personnel more of a threat in the playoffs and allow them to legitimately compete for a Super Bowl.

Not to mention, a playoff-esque test awaits them this weekend. Up next for LA is a Monday night matchup against the Ravens (7-4), led by Jim’s brother John Harbaugh, in the classic Harbaugh Bowl. The last time the two faced each other was in 2012 during Super Bowl XLVII when Jim was coaching the 49ers.

This will be one of the biggest tests for the Chargers this year, as the Ravens’ offense is one of the best in the league. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is looking like a strong candidate for his third MVP award, leading the NFL with a 117.3 passer rating and is second with 25 touchdown passes.

Both teams also possess strong run games. Baltimore’s Derrick Henry leads the league with 1,185 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns. Henry replaced the two backs that are now in the Chargers backfield—J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Dobbins is third in the AFC with 726 yards on the ground and his 4.8 yards per carry ranks second in the conference. Henry leads with an insane 6.0 average.

The Chargers defense is tied for fifth in the league with 34 sacks on the year, with 21 of them coming in the last four games. Linebacker, and former Trojan, Tuli Tuipulotu has led the way with seven sacks in that span, while linebacker Bud Dupree also has three. Khalil Mack is also set to return, after missing last week’s game against the Bengals. Baltimore is tied for third in the league with 35 sacks and has recorded at least two sacks in 14 straight games—the league’s longest active streak.

This game also marks the first occasion Chargers’ offensive coordinator Greg Roman and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter will face against their former team. Los Angeles has won four straight and looks to continue their hot streak while Baltimore cannot afford to lose ground to Pittsburgh in the AFC North title race. Kickoff is set for 5:15 p.m. on Monday.