The LA Chargers are coming off one of the most dysfunctional seasons in recent franchise history that fortunately led to a new era in Los Angeles. After an embarrassing 63-21 loss to the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, the Chargers have righted the ship with a new captain in Jim Harbaugh.
Harbaugh has been successful everywhere he has coached and for the first time in a long time, the Chargers made a notable hire. After how disastrous last season was under Brandon Staley, it is hard to imagine a bigger possible upgrade at the head coach position.
Fans don't have to imagine it, though, as the players themselves are already alluding to how different things are under Harbaugh. It has taken just OTAs and two days of mandatory minicamp for veteran edge rusher Khalil Mack to specifically point out the difference in attention to detail in late situations.
Chargers EDGE Khalil Mack says Harbaugh's attention to details feels like a contrast to situations late in games last season.
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) June 12, 2024
Chargers' Khalil Mack says the quiet part out loud about Jim Harbaugh and Brandon Staley
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize how damning this quote is for the former Chargers head coach. Mack likely didn't say this as an attempt to take a dig at his former head coach, and rather to support his new head coach, but it does not change the reality of the situation.
Making matters worse for Staley is the fact that Mack was his guy. Staley coached Mack on the Chicago Bears and was a key reason why the Bolts traded for him in 2022. If Mack was willing to say something to the media then you know it must have been bad.
There was an obvious lack of attention to details in key spots for the Chargers late down the stretch in games. Fans noticed it during Staley's multiple-year tenure and the players are outright talking about how different it is under Harbaugh. That is not a good look.
In the 12 full games last season before Justin Herbert was knocked out for the season the Chargers went 5-7. Five of the seven losses were by three or fewer points. No coach in the history of football is going to win every single close game, but a truly great head coach can flip four of those results.
If that was the case last year then the Chargers would have been 9-3 heading into Week 14 instead of 5-7.
Five of the team's seven losses the year prior were within a touchdown. Granted, the team won some close games as well. but under a coach who pays more attention that number should rise. Perhaps instead of losing five close games that season the Chargers would have lost just three. Just that small difference would have made the Bolts a 12-win team.
The closing moments of a football game are the most important and according to Mack himself, the previous regime was not putting in the kind of attention to detail that it could have been.
Thankfully, that has since changed with Harbaugh in town.