The Los Angeles Chargers are running out of excuses, and the pressure is starting to reach beyond the coaching staff. While offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has received plenty of criticism for the team’s disappointing start. General manager Joe Hortiz deserves to be part of the conversation, too.
At 0-6, the Chargers have looked nothing like the team many expected to compete in the AFC this season. The offense has struggled to find consistency, Justin Herbert has endured a difficult start, and the problems have continued to pile up. Somebody has to answer for what has gone wrong, and it cannot fall on one person alone. The Bolts have not had this bad of a start since 2000.
Hortiz was brought in to help build a roster capable of competing for championships. Alongside head coach Jim Harbaugh, he helped oversee a turnaround that saw the Chargers reach the playoffs in each of their first two seasons under the new leadership. That success raised expectations, and rightfully so.
But expectations can change quickly in the NFL.
The Roster Problems Are Becoming Impossible to Ignore
The biggest concern right now is the offensive line. Herbert is one of the team’s most important players, yet the offense has struggled to protect him and create comfortable situations for him to operate. When the quarterback is constantly dealing with pressure, it becomes difficult for any offensive system to function the way it was designed. That is where Hortiz enters the discussion. Building a roster is not simply about finding talented players. It is about identifying weaknesses before they become major problems and making sure the team has enough depth to survive injuries and difficult stretches. Losing important players can hurt any team, but having reliable alternatives is part of the job.
The offensive line was already an area that needed attention, making its struggles especially concerning. McDaniel deserves criticism for the offense’s execution and play calling, but the personnel available to him also matters. A coordinator can design an effective game plan, but that plan becomes much harder to execute when the protection breaks down.
The same goes for Herbert. Asking him to carry the offense without consistently giving him the support he needs is not a sustainable approach. That does not automatically mean Hortiz should lose his job. It does mean his decisions deserve the same level of scrutiny as those made by the coaching staff. The Chargers cannot keep treating roster construction and offensive performance as two separate conversations when the problems are clearly connected. The next question is whether the organization is prepared to make difficult decisions if things do not improve.
Harbaugh has already publicly backed McDaniel despite the offensive struggles. That support may be important for maintaining stability, but the results eventually have to justify the confidence. The same standard should apply to the front office.
Hortiz and Harbaugh helped raise the expectations in Los Angeles. Now, they have to find a way to meet them.
The frustrating part for Chargers fans is that the team still has a quarterback talented enough to give the franchise hope. Herbert should be entering his prime with a roster built to maximize his abilities, not one that leaves so many questions unanswered. There is still time for the organization to make adjustments, and six games alone should not erase everything accomplished over the previous two seasons. However, the longer this losing streak continues, the harder it becomes to dismiss the problems as a temporary setback. McDaniel may be facing the loudest criticism, but he should not be the only one feeling the pressure.
If the Chargers cannot turn things around, the conversation surrounding Hortiz will become increasingly difficult to avoid.
And right now, that product is nowhere near good enough.
