Chargers do little right against the Jags and match the worst NFL loss for coach Jim Harbaugh

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Down big with 11 minutes to play, Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh pulled his quarterback.

Justin Herbert probably couldn’t get out of EverBank Stadium fast enough. After all, it has been his house of horrors in recent years.

Herbert was battered and eventually benched in a 35-6 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday that ended up matching the worst drubbing in Harbaugh's NFL head coaching career. Herbert completed 10 of 18 passes for a career-low 81 yards, with an interception. He led the team with 21 yards rushing.

It was over way earlier than his last trip to Jacksonville — a 31-30 loss at Jacksonville in a wild-card game following the 2022 season. The Chargers led 27-0 in that one before unraveling.

“We just didn’t execute,” Herbert said. “Turned the ball over, played poorly and didn’t make any plays. So it’s on us as an offense to be better.”

The Chargers (7-4) were a complete no-show, finishing with 135 yards and eight first downs. They looked every bit like a team playing for the 11th time in as many weeks. It surely didn’t help that they flew across the country for an early start and probably were looking ahead to their bye week.

“When you lose a game like that, you want to go back out there and you want to get that taste out of your mouth,” Herbert said. “It’s tough because now we have to wait two weeks to get back and play, but I think it’ll be good.

“I think a lot of guys will get their bodies back this week. The rest could be good for us, but it wasn’t good enough for us today at all.”

The Chargers had little room to run and no time to pass, the result of a makeshift offensive line that included recently acquired left tackle Trevor Penning making his debut. Harbaugh also benched right guard Mekhi Becton to start the second half.

“We just weren’t doing anything well,” Harbaugh said. “Offensively, we weren’t running the ball well, we weren’t protecting, we weren’t getting open. Defensively, the same. We weren’t stopping the run. We’re losing coverage. I mean, go through every phase. We got beat every which way you care to get beat.”

Jacksonville didn't punt in a game for the first time since 2010 and handed Harbaugh the second 29-point loss in his NFL coaching career. The other was a 42-13 drubbing at Seattle in 2012, with Harbaugh coaching San Francisco at the time.

The Chargers, who had won three in a row and four of five, will now get a much-needed week off before hosting the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 30.

“What I know of our team is they’ll respond,” Harbaugh said. “You look at what you’re doing schematically. You look at who’s doing it, how they’re doing it, how you’re coaching it. You look at every possible aspect.”

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