Jim Harbaugh’s Cryptic Take on Chargers OC Greg Roman Sparks Speculation After Shocking 3-Point Collapse Against Patriots

The Los Angeles Chargers have shown sparks of brilliance when the regular season clock ticks down, but once the postseason lights blaze, they’ve stumbled in a way that’s hard to ignore. In the brief playoff journey with Jim Harbaugh at the helm, their offense has been, frankly, underwhelming—managing just 15 points across two games. Last Sunday’s 16-3 defeat to the New England Patriots only deepens the shadows of doubt, especially with Harbaugh choosing not to directly confront questions about offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s future. Roman, who arrived amid much fanfare last offseason, was the architect behind the Chargers’ impressive turnaround in 2024, lifting a struggling squad from a dismal five-win season to an 11-win feat. Yet, despite flashes of promise, the offensive slide in 2025 and glaring playoff inefficiencies prompt serious reflection on whether the magic is fading—or if the postseason hurdle proves too steep for this coaching combo. The Chargers may still be poised as genuine contenders into 2026, but with pressure mounting to translate regular-season wins into playoff success, the looming question remains: Can Greg Roman’s offensive schemes rise to the ultimate challenge, or is change inevitable? LEARN MORE.

The Los Angeles Chargers have experienced plenty of regular-season success under Jim Harbaugh, but the postseason is a different story. In two playoff games under Harbaugh, the Chargers’ offense scored just 15 points. Following the team’s 16-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, the coach declined to address questions aimed at the job security of offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

When asked about Roman’s position, Harbaugh simply told reporters, “We’re going to look at that and everything.” Roman joined the last offseason, and helped engineer the team’s turnaround in 2024. Coming off a five-win season in 2023, the Chargers improved to 11 wins in 2024, and the team’s offense played a significant role in that improvement, jumping from 21st in points scored to 11th in Roman’s first season.

But the team saw regression in 2025. The Chargers dropped to 22nd in points scored despite another strong statistical year from Justin Herbert. There were plenty of reasons for the team’s decline, as it experienced a number of injuries on its offensive line and lost both starting running backs to injuries throughout the season.

Still, the team’s struggles in the playoffs speak volumes. Through two playoff games under Harbaugh and Roman, the Chargers have 22 offensive drives and just one touchdown.

Two playoff games during the Jim Harbaugh/Justin Herbert/Greg Roman era:

1 TD on 22 offensive possessions.

Chargers outscored 48-15 in two losses.

— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) January 12, 2026

While Roman has a long history of coaching roles in the NFL, he really rose to prominence as the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator. Known mostly for engineering elite run games, Roman played a major role in helping the Ravens reach the playoffs in three of his four seasons with the team.

But, once again, playoff success eluded Roman and the team. The Ravens went just 1-3 in the postseason during Roman’s stretch as the team’s offensive coordinator. The team scored three, 12 and 17 points in those losses.

To make matters even worse, Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane claimed some Chargers players told him they had no idea what formations the Patriots were using on defense.

#Patriots LB Robert Spillane says Chargers players told him after the game they had no clue what coverage New England was running.

“After the game, talking to a few of the guys on the other team, they had no clue what we were doing. They came up and said that.”

(🎥 @Patriots) pic.twitter.com/V1YqqYb9Nq

— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) January 12, 2026

While Patriots defensive coordinator Terrell Williams deserves credit for that, it doesn’t speak well of Roman that his players were telling an opponent they couldn’t figure out the Patriots’ defense.

Despite the team’s struggles, the Chargers are still in solid shape heading into the offseason. The team has won 11 games in each of its past two seasons and Herbert remains under contract through 2029. Whether or not the Chargers decide to make a change at offseason coordinator, the team will still be projected to be a competitor in 2026.

More NFL news

2026 NFL coaching news Dolphins fire Mike McDaniel John Harbaugh out with Ravens

But the team’s lack of success in the postseason could still prove to be Roman’s undoing. Under Harbaugh, the Chargers proved they can win in the regular season. That puts even more pressure on the team to execute on the biggest stage.

In just two games, the Chargers haven’t shown the ability to do that with Roman running the offense. That’s a small sample, but one that’s tough to ignore when the team has shown its good enough to make the playoffs multiple years in a row.