LA Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman has become a polarizing figure for fans this season. The Chargers have not been lighting up the scoreboard while Roman's offense has had the same struggles as previous teams he coached for.
Roman made several questionable decisions in the first half against the Denver Broncos on Thursday night that only fed into the negative narratives surrounding him. It looked like the game was getting away from the Chargers and the team's stifled offense was a big reason why.
Then the second half happened and the Chargers played the most complete half the team has played all season. Justin Herbert and the offense started humming while Jesse Minter's defensive unit locked in. When the dust finally settled, the Chargers walked away with a 34-27 win after trailing 21-13 at halftime.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh made sure to praise his coaches after the game for their efforts in turning this divisional matchup around. Harbaugh was particularly complimentary of Roman and the game he called against the Broncos.
Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh mentions the play action clicking in the second half offensively.
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) December 20, 2024
"Greg Roman called a heck of a great game."
"Our offensive line did a great job of staying the course too."
Jim Harbaugh praises Greg Roman after Chargers' win over Broncos
To be fair, Roman did call an excellent game in the second half that led to the Chargers' win. Some of that was helped by Herbert being superhuman but it is impossible to be upset with the game plan in the second half.
One excellent half does not fix everything and does not change the reality of the situation. Harbaugh is absolutely right to heap praise on Roman after this game but this may end up burning the Chargers in the long run if things don't change.
Roman's offensive schemes have been more underwhelming than anything else this season and that was the case in his previous stops as well. At some point a spade is a spade and a better offensive line with more dynamic weapons won't change who is calling the plays.
Roman turning it around with a good game that all but clinches a playoff spot for the Chargers may save his job in the future. And if the same Roman shows back up, the Chargers may pay for it down the line.
Of course, football is all about evolving and there is no saying Roman cannot evolve. While he has mostly been the same guy this year, coaching Herbert may change his mindset and introduce new wrinkles to the offense next season and beyond.
Roman must make this evolution if the Chargers are ever going to win the Super Bowl. The best teams in the league have the most dynamic offenses with brilliant offensive minds. The Chargers don't need Roman to be Ben Johnson, they just need him to not be the same guy who fell short with the Baltimore Ravens.
Thursday's win was a step in the right direction but the Chargers offense needs to stack many more great days on top of each other for fans to be comfortable.