The Chargers clinched an 11+ win season on Sunday after they throttled the Dallas Cowboys 34-17. It marks Jim Harbaugh's second 11+ win season with the organization. It is his fifth year with double-digit wins out of six NFL seasons. For the Chargers, 2024-25 marks the first time they've had back-to-back 11+ win seasons since 2006-07.
Simply put, Harbaugh has won like no other Chargers coach in the regular season since Marty Schottenheimer. Fittingly enough, Harbaugh accomplished the feat while coaching against his son, Brian Schottenheimer.
The NFL Playoffs will be the measuring stick as Harbaugh was brought here to win a Super Bowl. But considering where the Chargers were two years ago at the end of the Brandon Staley era, it's a miraculous turnaround.
Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh keeps winning, despite the circumstances.
There have been logical reasons to doubt the Chargers this year. Joe Alt barely played and Rashawn Slater has been out the whole year. Khalil Mack missed time. Long-term Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton injuries meant a banged-up running back room. The offensive line has not played as well as fans would've liked. And yet, Harbaugh's Chargers are still here.
One specific example of Harbaugh's culture has been the Chargers' practice squad members stepping up in every game.
A slew of secondary injuries has forced former Ravens S Marcus Williams into action. The story of the season was obviously RB Kimani Vidal emerging as an original roster cut who became a practice squad breakout star. DC Jesse Minter said earlier this week that the team really views the 53-man roster and the practice squad as a "70-man roster".
Yesterday, Justin Herbert had his first 300+ yard passing game since Week 7 vs. Indianapolis. If the Chargers are going to be a serious playoff contender, it starts with Greg Roman's passing offense hitting those kinds of marks consistently.
It's true that it's much easier to sustain explosive passing drives against Dallas than Houston or Denver. But Sunday's effort was really the first since the Steelers game that showed the Chargers can be efficient with the quick passing game.
Herbert's time to throw was just a tick over 3 seconds on Sunday with decent enough protection-a sign they wanted to move the ball quickly despite a lack of Dallas pressure.
The real tests for the Chargers will be over the course of the next three weeks when they face Houston, Denver, and an AFC playoff team back to back to back. That will let us know just how good the Chargers are in terms of defining their season success.
But for now, things are great. The Chargers have won seven of eight games despite being doubted by the national media and to some extent the fanbase. And maybe they like it that way.
The Chargers will kick off against the Houston Texans with a chance to bolster their playoff seeding on Saturday at 1:30 PM PT on NFL Network.