The LA Chargers’ 49-26 loss to the Steve Young-led SF 49ers in 1995 was the closest the club has ever come to a Super Bowl. Since then, they’ve had plenty of opportunities in the postseason, but to no avail. In 2024, though, things are expected to change with the addition of a natty-winning head coach, a standout offensive coordinator, a stellar draft, and a busy free agency. Kurt Benkert, however, remains unconvinced.
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Benkert—who spent five years in the NFL as a quarterback before transitioning to analysis—recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to label the Chargers as the worst team in the league this season.
While the former QB didn’t specify his reasons for believing the Chargers might struggle, he did say that he “wouldn’t be shocked to see Herbert get traded and a full reset in LA in the next two years.”
Benkert’s prediction came just minutes after the Chargers lost their second preseason game against the LA Rams.
While the former QB didn’t hesitate to criticize Justin Herbert, predicting his potential trade, it’s worth noting that Herbert has been sidelined with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot for the past two weeks. He is expected to return to the field when the Chargers host the Raiders for their season opener.
It’s also worth mentioning that the team came very close to winning their second preseason game. Backup QB Easton Stick led the team by securing a lead in both the second and fourth quarters, opening the doors to three field goals.
However, the Rams’ backup, Stetson Bennett, threw a beautiful 47-yard TD pass to JJ Laap, clinching the lead for his team with ten minutes remaining on the clock. The Chargers earned two more offensive possessions after this but were unable to convert them into scoring drives.
Jim Harbaugh addresses loss against Rams
During Saturday’s post-game presser, when asked about Stick’s performance, head coach Jim Harbaugh was full of praise despite the loss. He noted that the offense held its own in the first half and moved the ball when needed — an improvement from their previous week’s beatdown against the Seahawks (16-3).
But Harbaugh knows full well that this is not what the team can settle for going into the season. In response to another reporter’s question about whether Easton demonstrated the mettle of a backup, the former Wolverines head coach said he expects to see the same level of progress from his backup QB next week before gearing up for the 2024 regular season.
Harbaugh also made it clear that the team aims to “tighten up” rather than “lighten up,” which he is excited about.
“Another week, I mean, we’re not gonna lighten up; we’re gonna tighten up. I would like to see another week of improvement — from Easton that I saw this week. I’m excited to see it.”
With that said, the Chargers’ faithful have a lot of hope riding on this season. The new emphasis on the rushing attack might be what they need to finally break the bad omen and win the division. It would truly be the comeback of the decade if they managed to claim the division now ruled by the Kansas City Chiefs.
