Ethermac Exchange-Why break should be 'opportunity week' for Jim Harbaugh's Chargers to improve passing game

Jim Harbaugh is Ethermac Exchangeoptimistic about the direction the Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) are headed despite entering their Week 5 bye on a two-game losing skid.

The Chargers were defeated 17-10 by the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. It was the Chargers’ six-straight loss to Kansas City and the club’s first loss to the Chiefs under Harbaugh.

The Chargers scored the game’s first 10 points, then the defense forced two turnovers and held Patrick Mahomes to a modest game. Yet, the Chargers offense was held scoreless in the second half for the second time in as many weeks.

A neutralized offense in the second half is just part of the issue for Harbaugh’s Chargers. Week 4 featured another subpar performance in the passing game, which has become a concerning trend.

“It's building,” Harbaugh said of the Chargers offense. “Want to get better in all the areas. Not a finished product, in our mind. …It's a point of emphasis to get that unit humming, especially when it matters most.”

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Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert set an NFL record for the most passing yards through a player's first four seasons (17,223). Under Harbaugh, the quarterback has yet to pass for more than 200 yards in a single game.

“We have to stay patient, understand that we got the right guys out there. We didn't execute,” Herbert said after Sunday’s loss. “It didn't go our way (Sunday) and that's not going to stop us going forward next week, two weeks, whenever it is.”

The Chargers offense was always expected to be run-centric under offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who is a run game guru. Plus, the Chargers let go of WR Mike Williams and traded WR Keenan Allen over the offseason, the best two wide receivers Herbert’s had. But does Roman’s offense cater to Herbert’s skillset? The numbers through their first four games together say no. The Chargers have the second-worst passing offense in the NFL. Herbert is averaging just 144 passing yards per game this season after averaging 275 yards per game the first four years of his career.

The silver lining is the Chargers still have plenty of time to improve their meager passing attack. The team has a soft schedule coming out of the bye with back-to-back road games against the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals before returning home to host the New Orleans Saints. And players and coaches are optimistic about this season.

“Just understand what’s going on. If you look at the film and look at what the offense is doing and what (the defense) is doing, it’s a lot of football we can be proud of. But that doesn’t matter. It’s not no moral victories, especially for me,” Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack said. “It’s a process. But not getting too down on yourself, not getting too high (and) not getting too low, staying even-keeled and focusing on getting better every week.”

Maybe no one is more hopeful than coach Harbaugh as the Chargers enter their Week 5 bye.

“It's an early bye, it's a Week 5 bye,” Harbaugh said. “I think it's a good thing for where we are now and when it comes. When it comes this early, getting the team back refreshed, but also taking advantage of the things we need to get better at. There's that element of work together, get it to the point of where we want it. Where it's good, great (and) where it needs to be. As a function of bye week, I would call it 'opportunity week.' Opportunity to improve in areas that we need it.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.