‘I Screwed That Up’: Jim Harbaugh owns costly mistake in Chargers' loss to Broncos

El SEGUNDO, Calif. — It seems like rinse and repeat, week in and week out, for the Los Angeles Chargers. Poor decision-making and costly mistakes once again doomed them in a 23-17 loss to the Denver Broncos.

With the Chargers leading 17-10, facing fourth down at their own 41-yard line with 10:33 remaining in the fourth quarter, the decision seemed easy, right?

Not for Jim Harbaugh.

The Chargers head coach decided to attempt a Justin Herbert quarterback sneak behind an offensive line featuring four rookies, three of whom were making their first career starts.

The attempt failed, giving Denver a short field against a Chargers defense that had repeatedly been put in difficult situations this season. After holding the Broncos to 10 points up to that point, the defense couldn't hold them off any longer.

On second-and-goal from the Chargers' 5-yard line, Bo Nix found receiver Courtland Sutton in the end zone for a touchdown that changed the game, tying the score at 17-17.

“It was a wrong decision,” Harbaugh said. “Can't think of a time I've ever been more mad at myself. This team worked so hard, played so valiantly. I got to take 100% accountability for making that decision and turn the momentum of the game. It was the wrong one, and I got to be right on those.”

There were 8:50 remaining, and the Chargers were without Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Tre Harris. Their offense faced an uphill battle.

On second-and-10 from their own 32-yard line, Herbert dropped back as Denver's defensive line swarmed him. The ball struck center Jake Slaughter's backside and slipped out of Herbert's hand. Broncos defensive lineman Zach Allen recovered the fumble at the Chargers' 32-yard line.

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Oct 11, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) looks to recover a fumble against the Denver Broncos during the second half at SoFi Stadium.

Nix moved the Broncos to the Chargers' 7-yard line after connecting with tight end Evan Engram for a 6-yard gain on third down. Denver initially kept its offense on the field, but Broncos head coach Sean Payton called a timeout and elected to send out Wil Lutz for a 19-yard field goal.

Lutz converted, giving Denver a 20-17 lead.

Payton appeared to recognize that the Chargers' offense had little left, especially after Harris exited with a hamstring injury. He took the lead and never gave it back.

On the Chargers' next possession, they returned to a familiar route concept in which the receiver lined up on the right runs upfield before breaking toward the sideline. They had used it several times with Harris.

Facing third-and-18 from their own 19-yard line, the Chargers tried the same concept with Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Broncos safety Brandon Jones was waiting for it and intercepted Herbert's pass.

“Him trying to make a play,” Harbaugh said. “Did not put him in the best situation to win the game, and he was fighting to do so and trying to do everything in his power to do it.”

It is a lot to ask of a quarterback to win a football game against the Broncos with four rookie offensive linemen and his top four receivers unavailable.

On the game's final play, Herbert had Oronde Gadsden, Valdes-Scantling, Theo Wease, Keaton Mitchell and Charlie Kolar on the field, trying to mount a comeback with three seconds remaining.

But Herbert couldn't even get a pass off with three seconds left and Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian sacked him to end the game.

It was a brutal way for the Chargers to fall to 0-5.

“I screwed that up,” Harbaugh said. “That's really the only thing going through my mind because the playmaking, the stops, the momentum was in our favor, and wrong decision.”

Khalil Mack, however, wasn't willing to put all the blame on his head coach.

“Man, just speaks to his character,” Mack said. “But that's on us. That's on us. They shouldn't have been able to get six points late. We just gotta just gotta keep them out of the end zone late in the game. That's how I look at that. But yeah, just speaks volumes to the type of leader he is, and why we love to play for him.”

How the rest of the game unfolded:

The offensive line protecting Herbert featured four rookies, three making their first career starts Sunday. Travis Burke started at left tackle, Logan Taylor at left guard, Jake Slaughter at center, Cole Strange at right guard and Alex Harkey at right tackle.

The Chargers' offense opened the game the same way it did against Seattle last week: with a turnover on its first possession.

On third-and-10 from their own 17-yard line, Herbert found a wide-open Charlie Kolar for an 18-yard gain. But as safety Talanoa Hufanga tackled him, the ball came loose, and Brandon Jones recovered the fumble.

Denver took over at the Chargers' 40-yard line. A 34-yard reception by tight end Evan Engram moved the Broncos to the 2-yard line, where former Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins finished the drive with a touchdown run to give Denver an early 7-0 lead.

The Chargers finally showed some offensive rhythm on their fourth possession.

On first-and-10 from the Denver 47-yard line, Omarion Hampton broke off an 11-yard run. Two plays later, Herbert connected with Harris for a 14-yard gain.

But once the Chargers reached the Denver 24-yard line, the questionable play-calling began.

Mitchell lost two yards on a run to the left, followed by an incomplete pass from Herbert. On third down, the Chargers settled for a screen pass to Harris that gained just two yards.

With the offensive personnel available, the Chargers simply don't have the weapons to make that sequence work consistently.

Cameron Dicker salvaged the possession with a 42-yard field goal, cutting Denver's lead to 7-3.

On the Broncos' next drive, the Chargers' mistakes began piling up.

The possession should have lasted only three plays.

On third-and-four from the Denver 30-yard line, Nix rolled to his right and threw the ball away. But a flag came out for an offside penalty against defensive tackle Teair Tart, extending the drive.

Four plays later, Denver faced fourth-and-one, and Nix attempted a quarterback sneak for the first down. Harbaugh challenged the spot, but the ruling was upheld, costing the Chargers their first challenge.

A few plays later, on second-and-eight from the Chargers' 28-yard line, Nix targeted receiver Jaylen Waddle. Cornerback Tarheeb Still broke up the pass, but officials flagged him for pass interference.

Harbaugh challenged the call because the ball appeared to hit linebacker Del'Shawn Phillips' forearm. The officials upheld the ruling, costing the Chargers their second challenge on the same drive.

Despite the penalties and extended possession, the Chargers' defense held Denver to a 34-yard field goal by Lutz, giving the Broncos a 10-3 lead.

The Chargers followed with a three-and-out on a possession that lacked any real offensive creativity.

Their defense stepped up again before halftime.

Payton used all three timeouts to give Denver's offense another opportunity with 1:21 remaining.

On the first play, Nix went deep to Waddle, drawing a 37-yard pass interference penalty against cornerback Deane Leonard.

But the Broncos couldn't capitalize.

An offensive pass interference penalty against Sutton and a sack by rookie Akheem Mesidor pushed Denver into third-and-26. The Broncos ultimately went into halftime leading 10-3.

The Chargers' offensive penalties continued into the second half.

On two of their first five plays, Strange and Daniel Brunskill were called for holding.

But on third-and-15 from their own 22-yard line, Herbert connected with recently signed receiver Theo Wease for a 16-yard gain to keep the drive alive.

Herbert was impressive throughout the remainder of the possession.

He found Kolar on third-and-three for a first down, then connected with Mitchell on third-and-two to move the chains again.

Facing third-and-seven from the Denver 30-yard line, Herbert took off on a designed quarterback run, gaining 23 yards down the right side to put the Chargers at the 7-yard line.

Two plays later, he found tight end Hayden Rucci in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, tying the game at 10-10.

It was one of Herbert's best drives of the 2026 season, especially considering Harris missed most of it with a hamstring injury.

After both teams exchanged punts, the Chargers' defense delivered another big play.

Nix attempted to scramble, but Mesidor grabbed him by the ankles while Tuli Tuipulotu ripped the ball loose, recovering the fumble and giving the Chargers another opportunity.

“I can speak for myself. I can't speak for everybody else. But what I can say is, I believe in my coach, and I'm here,” Tart said. “No matter how the outcome of the game is I'm gonna still go to work for him.”

On the very next play, Kimani Vidal took a handoff to the left, bounced off Denver defenders and followed his blockers into the end zone for a 42-yard touchdown.

For the first time all afternoon, the Chargers had the lead, 17-10.

William Liang-Imagn Images

Oct 11, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Kimani Vidal (28) scores a touchdown against the Denver Broncos during the second half at SoFi Stadium.

“Those young guys, man, they tried their best, and they gave everything they had, and you can see it,” Mack said of the young offensive line. “You see the good and the bad, but ultimately, just shows the heart that we have as a team. To be in that position late in the game and having the opportunity to win it.”

After forcing another Broncos punt, frustration began to show from the Chargers quarterback.

Facing third-and-five from his own 23-yard line, Herbert waited for a receiver to get open. Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto wrapped up his leg from behind while another defender hit him from the side.

Herbert got up slowly and spent several minutes being attended to by trainers on the sideline.

On the ensuing punt, Broncos returner Marvin Mims returned the ball 26 yards, setting Denver up at the Chargers' 27-yard line.

The Chargers' defense held firm again, forcing Denver to attempt a 42-yard field goal.

Lutz, usually reliable, pushed the kick wide left.

It was a rare miss that gave the Chargers another opportunity to put the game away.

Instead, everything unraveled.

Harbaugh's failed fourth-down decision shifted the momentum, and the Chargers' offense followed with costly turnovers that helped Denver complete the comeback.

“We the ones playing the game,” Tuipulotu said on Harbaugh. “No matter what play call it is, no matter what decision they make it's our job to go out there and play and execute. So he could take the blame. We could take the blame. It's on everybody.”

The Chargers now face another difficult question: Who will be available at receiver next week?

McConkey suited up against Denver but didn't play. Johnston was sidelined with a chest injury, while Harris exited with a hamstring injury.

Those injuries have left Herbert with a depleted receiving corps behind an offensive line already relying heavily on inexperienced players.

The Chargers have one game remaining before their bye week, and it comes against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, who will be coming off their own bye.

If the same mistakes continue, it could be another long afternoon for the Chargers on both sides of the football.

Poor decisions, turnovers and penalties have plagued this team through five games, and those recurring problems are a major reason Los Angeles remains winless.

At 0-5, the Chargers are running out of time to turn their season around.

“We are 0-5,” Tuipulotu said. “It sucks to lose, and we just got to find any way to fight back and get back on track.”