Jim Harbaugh & Justin Herbert Postgame Press Conference vs. Broncos — LA Chargers

[0:00] Back up in your own end zone, why would you decide to go forward on the 41-yard line? [0:07] Yeah, it was a wrong decision. [0:09] I've never – I can't think of a time I've ever been more mad at myself. [0:19] This team worked so hard, played so valiantly. [0:27] And, yeah, I take 100% accountability for making that decision [0:33] and turn the momentum of the game. [0:38] It was the wrong one, and I've got to be right on those. [0:43] What did you make of the offense then? [0:49] Offense, defense, special teams, I thought they – I mean, they showed the heart. [0:56] They showed the talent. [0:57] They showed the fight, everything. [1:01] Yeah, I 100% put this one on me. [1:06] The second half, it seemed like offensively you guys got some things going, [1:14] and then it just all fell apart. [1:18] At what point does being close just become this frustrating and deflating thing [1:26] for those guys in the locker room? [1:29] Yeah, really, right now the only thing I can think of is that I screwed that up. [1:38] That's really the only thing going through my mind. [1:42] Because the – I mean, the playmaking, the stops, you know, [1:49] the momentum was in our favor and, yeah, wrong decision. [1:58] Jim – [1:58] Both of them. [1:59] When they don't work, that's my accountability. [2:04] What specifically did you screw up? [2:07] The decision because it didn't work. [2:11] Fourth and one. [2:12] And, yeah, it was critical. [2:16] When you're 0-5, what is the message that works, you know, [2:24] that kind of gets through, or is there one? [2:29] Yeah, I don't know what that message is. [2:34] It's just in the players that just fight their hearts out, you know, play, [2:43] give it everything they have. [2:45] That's the only way. [2:47] That's the best way. [2:49] But, yeah, that's – [2:56] Did you see – [2:56] Did not put them in the best position. [2:58] I did not put our players or our team or organization [3:00] in the best position to win that game. [3:03] Coach, what did you see from that? [3:07] Yeah, I mean, multiple stops, three and outs, huge turnover, [3:16] sudden change, stops. [3:18] I think our defense played their hearts out. [3:23] Our offense did. [3:25] That's – it was – you know, that was – [3:30] they gave it everything they had, you know, and it was good enough. [3:34] And, yeah, I did not put them in the best position to win the game [3:40] with that decision. [3:42] Well, the game might have hinged on that decision, [3:45] but it didn't seem like a crazy decision, fourth and one at the 41. [3:51] What did you see? [3:52] What did you – was it solely a mistake because you didn't make it? [3:59] That and, yeah, when I saw them gap down, [4:02] I really – I felt like I should call timeout there and punt the ball. [4:08] The offense, obviously, you guys started forward with the offensive linemen today. [4:14] You're missing Holt and Slater and a number of other guys, receivers. [4:19] You guys were short on them. [4:21] But even when you were healthy, things weren't clicking offensively. [4:24] Can things be salvaged now, [4:27] mixing some of the dysfunction with personnel losses offensively? [4:33] I think we – I mean, the direction we're going offensively is improving just like the defense is. [4:43] That was one of the top defenses in the league. [4:47] And our guys, you know, got the big drives, got the touchdown drives, [4:52] put the ball in the end zone, did – quitted themselves really well. [4:58] I mean, I thought our young offensive linemen did that. [5:03] I thought, you know, Justin did everything in his power and our backs. [5:10] I mean, the effort is – the effort and the plays were being made, you know. [5:17] The – so my opinion of it. [5:21] What exactly do you consider an improvement, that they do some good things here and there? [5:26] I just – when you're 0-5 and offense has played a big part in it, [5:30] like what do you mean by offense is still improving? [5:33] Yeah, I felt our players played well enough to win that game. [5:38] We had a – we had a seven-point lead and – and pressure was – was on them [5:45] and, you know, really turned on that – you know, that fourth down decision. [5:49] So that's – that's the way I see it. [5:52] What did you think of Justin's late-game turnovers – the two late-game turnovers? [5:56] Trying to – trying to make a play. [5:58] It's – it was not put in the – did not put him in the – in the best situation to win the game. [6:06] And, you know, he was – he was fighting to do so and – and trying to do everything in his power to do it. [6:14] And – and, yeah, that was – I see it – I see it exactly the – the way I've been saying it. [6:22] Well, you – you've said multiple times that you've screwed up that play. [6:26] What do you tell the players to hold yourself accountable after a game – a decision like that? [6:32] I told him the same thing in the locker room. [6:36] Do you anticipate getting those linemen back for Kansas City? [6:40] I don't know. [6:41] We'll – we'll see. [6:47] Good? [6:47] Yes, sir. [6:48] I have a little bit. [6:49] With Justin, he's turned it over five games in a row now. [6:52] I think that ties his longest streak of his career. [6:55] What do you attribute that to? [6:57] Like, how can he clean those up for you guys? [7:02] Yeah, the position he was put in – I mean, you're – you're trying to make a play. [7:06] It's fourth and six. [7:07] It's – you know, you've got to throw it. [7:12] You've got to – you've got to do everything you can to try to pick it up. [7:16] I – you know, not being in that position, you know, is what I attribute that to. [7:25] And I take full accountability for that. [7:28] Jim, do things have to change or is this about getting back to business? [7:36] A lot of your message the next week usually is getting back to work. [7:41] But now that the team is in this massive hole, like, do there need to be things considered offensively, play calling? [7:52] Like, or is it just continuing what you guys have been doing? [7:58] Just keep digging deep and moving forward. [8:01] That's what – that's what staying the course looks like. [8:04] And the – and Coach being right about – about these decisions, you know, these critical decisions. [8:14] That's – that's as important as anything. [8:18] I stay the course when things haven't been – things haven't been working on five. [8:25] Keep working harder. [8:26] Keep working smarter. [8:26] That's – that's – it's just the truth. [8:30] It's just – it's just the – that's – that's the answer. [8:37] How did it miss? [8:40] How are you dealing with it? [8:42] Yeah, it's tough. [8:43] Not where we want to be and, you know, a lot to process. [8:46] But definitely not where we want to be. [8:48] Inside, how are you dealing with it? [8:51] Not where we want to be. [8:51] Definitely a tough – tough spot to be, so not where we want to be. [8:56] Jim took credit for that fourth and one on the QB sneak you were stuffed on. [9:01] What was your read and take on that play? [9:03] Yeah, I got to get a yard. [9:04] Got to find a way to get a yard, and I didn't do that. [9:07] Do you agree with his assessment? [9:08] He said that it was the wrong decision to go for it there. [9:11] I think it's on me to go get a yard. [9:13] We got to be able to push and get a yard, and, you know, I have complete faith in our guys and in myself. [9:19] And, you know, it's on us to go get a yard and convert. [9:22] How do you think the O-line held up today? [9:23] I thought they did an incredible job. [9:26] You know, as many young guys as we had out there, they did a great job stepping up and making plays. [9:30] It seemed like you got a little – I think it was on the second sack of the game, got a little banged up. [9:35] How were you feeling physically after today? [9:38] Physically good. [9:40] What's the biggest challenge right now moving forward? [9:44] We're going to watch the film on this one, see where we went wrong, what we can do better, and take it from there. [9:49] You got five turnovers – or, excuse me, turnover in five straight games, ties for your longest streak in your career. [9:58] Well, just what's happening with that streak? [10:00] What do you attribute that to? [10:01] Yep, just can't turn the ball over, and, you know, we can't expect to win games and turn the ball over. [10:05] So, got to do a better job there. [10:08] Justin, do you find yourself in these situations doing things that you wouldn't normally do? [10:11] I mean, obviously, you're a competitor, you want to come back. [10:13] I mean, are you doing things just to kind of change the momentum, change the tide? [10:19] We've got to do whatever we can to win football games and make plays and do what we can to score points, [10:24] and we haven't been doing that, so we've got to do that better. [10:27] What gives you optimism about this team moving forward? [10:31] You guys are 0-5, you've got Kansas City by – the schedule's not going to get easier. [10:36] What gives you optimism going forward? [10:38] Yep, a lot of young guys and a lot of good things. [10:41] I thought we ran the ball really well today. [10:42] The defense played outstanding again, and so it's just on us to go score points and convert on third down. [10:48] Is that still the key from the running standpoint? [10:51] You want to get that going no matter what happens out there? [10:55] Yeah, I think any time you run the ball well, it's huge for your team. [10:58] So, I think today was awesome to see.