While the LA Chargers could have done a better job of closing out the game, the true story emerging from the team's 17-15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals was the poor officiating job late in the fourth quarter that may have cost the Chargers the win.
Not only did the referees call a questionable unnecessary roughness penalty on Cam Hart, but in the drive before the referees completely ignored a potential illegal contact call that would have allowed the Chargers to ice the game.
Harbaugh was particularly unhappy with the latter, as evidenced by his outburst on the sideline and him charging onto the field. Thankfully, he was not flagged for his reaction, which is surprising given the calls that were made late.
The Chargers' head coach was naturally asked about the penalties during his postgame press conference and Harbaugh said everything he had to say without saying anything at all. Harbaugh's powerful "no comment" speaks volumes.
Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh on Cam Hart unnecessary roughness: "I saw what I saw. No comment." pic.twitter.com/UHXBWJ2I0P
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) October 22, 2024
Jim Harbaugh passes on the chance to grill NFL refs after Chargers loss
It would have been totally justifiable if Harbaugh wanted to take the moment in his postgame press conference to grill the officiating late in the game. Having two egregious calls go against your team in a short span, in the most important moment of the game, is certainly worth going on a postgame tangent.
However, any postgame tirade would have also included a swift fine from the league office. It is safe to say Harbaugh did not want to deal with the trouble, hence the no comment.
Chargers fans don't need to hear Harbaugh get on his soapbox and make a passionate plea about the penalties. Fans all saw how he reacted to the calls in real time and that is exactly how the fanbase reacted. They were ticky-tacky calls that played a huge role in deciding the game. It is never fun losing a game that way.
That being said, the Chargers could have done better. It is up to Harbaugh to elevate not just the roster he has in front of him, but the coaches he has surrounded himself with. Not scoring a single offensive touchdown against one of the worst defenses in the sport is a troubling sign, especially considering the kind of game Justin Herbert had.
The bad officiating took some of the attention off this troubling reality but with Harbaugh not giving the refs any attention after the game, the focus may now turn to the changes that need to be made moving forward.