Chargers sink to 0-2 after lackluster loss to Raiders

INGLEWOOD — This was supposed to be the easy part. Two lackluster opponents and then the difficult part of the schedule. Two expected victories to get things rolling. Two games to break in a new offensive scheme and a new defensive one, too. Two reasons for optimism for the Chargers.

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Now what?

What do the Chargers do after losses to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at SoFi Stadium and to the Arizona Cardinals on Sept. 13 by matching scores of 26-14? How can they recover going into the most difficult part of their schedule starting next Sunday against the Buffalo Bills?

“Work,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh didn’t go into specifics despite repeated opportunities to do so.

“Execute,” Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said.

Herbert didn’t dive into the details, either.

“I’d be lying if I said we look totally prepared out there because we’re not executing,” Chargers left tackle Rashawn Slater said, cutting to the heart of the matter after their offense sputtered for the second consecutive week under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

In fact, the Chargers looked like they should be wearing those “Hello, my name is … ” sticky badges as they stumbled and fumbled their way to a second consecutive defeat. For starters, Herbert completed 15 of 27 passes for only 192 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

The Chargers also fumbled six times, including running back Omarion Hampton’s game-altering fumble in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, killing a potential go-ahead drive. The Raiders’ Jeremy Chinn picked up the ball at his own 41-yard line and returned it to the Chargers’ 16.

Two plays later, Las Vegas quarterback Kirk Cousins threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cody White, their second scoring connection of the game, with 2:59 remaining in the game. Cousins completed 19 of 29 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns by game’s end.

The Raiders led, 24-14.

Right tackle Joe Alt, who had been penalized for false starts on consecutive snaps with the Chargers backed up near their own goal line earlier in the game, was then called for holding while Herbert attempted a pass from his own end zone. The Raiders were awarded a safety.

Las Vegas led, 26-14, with 1:41 left.

Game over.

Season on the brink?

“We have to find our way out of this,” Harbaugh said.

Asked why he believed the Chargers could rebound next week against the Bills, with the Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks up next and the AFC West champion Denver Broncos after that and the Kansas City Chiefs to follow before the bye week, Harbaugh sounded adamant that a turnaround was possible.

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“The competitors, the fight,” he said. “You’ve got to fight your way out of it.”

The Chargers started with good intentions, but their opening possession stalled and Cameron Dicker was called upon to try a 58-yard field goal. His kick had the distance, but the ball struck the right upright and bounced away. It was a hint of things to come.

After a scoreless first quarter, Cousins threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tre Turner with 11:51 left in the half. Hampton’s 1-yard touchdown run capped a 10-play drive, pulling the Chargers into a 7-7 tie. Las Vegas took a 10-7 lead on Matt Gay’s 59-yard field goal with four seconds left in the half.

Herbert threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Oronde Gadsden to give the Chargers a 14-10 lead, their first of the season, with 9:49 left in the third quarter. Cousins then tossed touchdown passes of 13 and 11 yards to White, who was elevated from the practice squad before the game.

The Chargers’ defense under new coordinator Chris O’Leary had a second consecutive credible game, limiting the Raiders to 57 yards rushing on 29 attempts, for a puny average of two yards per carry. Top running back Ashton Jeanty rushed for 48 yards on 21 carries, an average of 2.3 yards.

Cousins did all the damage with his right arm, though.

The Chargers’ error-prone offense did not live up to its end of the bargain for the second game in a row. Hampton rushed for 94 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries. Herbert looked unsettled far too often, even with top receiver Ladd McConkey in the lineup after he hurt a rib against Arizona.

“We’re losing in the margins,” Harbaugh said after coaching his 100th game in the NFL. “That’s what we have to get fixed. We’ll go back and look at the tape. We’ll go back to work. That’s all I know how to do. That’s all we know what to do. We’ll find our way, find a way. We’ll move forward.”

Only 16% of NFL teams that started a season 0-2 went on to advance to the playoffs, so it’s going to take a great deal of work for the Chargers to get their game back in order.

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