All the stars aligned for the LA Chargers to win their first playoff game in eight years but there was just one problem: the offense went MIA.
The Chargers' offense put together a paltry performance against the New England Patriots on Sunday night to end the season in disappointing fashion in the Wild Card Round for the second straight year. It's back to the drawing board for the Chargers, whose back-to-back 11-win seasons mean absolutely nothing without a playoff win alongside them.
There's a lot of blame going around in Los Angeles, and quite frankly, all of it is deserved. The Chargers desperately need to do some soul-searching this offseason, which has to include a fundamental coaching change to capitalize on what is still a contending window.
Simply put: Jim Harbaugh has to fire offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
Jim Harbaugh has to fire Greg Roman for the sake of the Chargers
Harbaugh is a loyal coach who hired Roman after the two shared time in San Francisco. Roman also spent several seasons with Harbaugh's brother in Baltimore. Loyalty is great and all, but winning is even better.
There are a lot of things wrong with the offense, whether it be the banged-up offensive line or Justin Herbert shelling up in every playoff game he plays. But it all starts with the offensive line, and if the Chargers want real change, they have to cut off the head of the dragon.
The Roman hire was widely criticized at the time and the veteran offensive coordinator has done nothing to refute those criticisms. Whether it be his inability to scheme players open, the awful offensive line development, or the predictably bad play-calling, Roman has been everything as advertised in all the worst ways.
It's not just the Chargers, either. Roman has been pitiful as an offensive coordinator for years and has benefited from coaching in good ecosystems with great quarterbacks. Since the San Francisco 49ers' Super Bowl run, which was over a decade ago, Roman's offenses have been atrocious in the playoffs.
This was Roman's seventh playoff game as an offensive coordinator since reaching the Super Bowl. In those games, Roman's teams scored 23, 13, 17, 17, 12, 12 and 3. That's an average of 13.9 points. Across nearly half a season's worth of games.
At what point is enough enough?
Yes, Herbert needs to be better and there will be some uncomfortable conversations about him in the coming days, weeks, and months. But Herbert will never make those improvements if the Chargers are employing someone who is actively holding him back.
Sunday night was, quite frankly, pathetic. There's only one way for Jim Harbaugh to respond.