The current amount of pressure on OC Mike McDaniel to turn things around would've been unimaginable before the season. Once viewed as the belle of the ball coordinator hire, things have quickly unraveled.
It isn't just about the Chargers being 0-7. It's not just having the 32nd ranked offense by EPA. QB Justin Herbert is also playing the worst football of his career by essentially every metric under McDaniel. It's everything-there is nothing positive to point to so far about the former Dolphins HC's tenure.
The bye week was supposed to be the time for McDaniel to make some reasonable adjustments. HC HC Jim Harbaugh had discussed simplifying the offense prior to the team heading into their bye week. Nothing really looked much different vs. the Rams. The Chargers couldn't run the ball and got shut out in the second half. They put up just nine points in the first half as their red zone struggles continued. Herbert had two baffling turnovers as his fit in McDaniel's offense looks like a disaster.
Quite frankly, almost every player's fit in McDaniel's offense looks questionable at best.
Chargers OC Mike McDaniel has one more trick up his sleeve as he tries to save his job
McDaniel acknowledged on Thursday that he has to show offensive results instead of continuing to speak empty words. While he seems to grasp the gravity of the situation, the adjustments that he's going to actually make are still unclear. Yesterday for example, he seemed to hint towards RB Omarion Hampton taking on a bigger role. But the coaching staff also promised "simplification" last week. So respectfully, I'll believe it when I see it.
But one concrete change the embattled offensive coordinator is making this week is heading upstairs to the booth. McDaniel discussed the idea of coaching upstairs instead of on the field with HC Jim Harbaugh. For the first time in his Chargers tenure, he is officially heading upstairs to the booth:
Chargers OC Mike McDaniel says he will begin calling plays from the booth this week. pic.twitter.com/CFNpknX1rP
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) November 5, 2026
McDaniel said he wanted to be able to see the whole field better and likened to booth environment to watching tape. The idea stemmed from his experience with Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta. "My experience with Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta kind of was the impetus for looking at it this way," McDaniel explained.
Will it work? Given the season results so far, probably not. But it feels like the first concrete change that McDaniel has publicly attempted to this point. Although, it's hard to ignore the feeling of desperation here. If he had trouble seeing the field, why wasn't this a decision that was made before?
With McDaniel coaching for his future for the rest of the season, it's at least the first tangible adjustment he's made. There should be plenty of doubt remaining as to whether it will actually work. But it's something.
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