'We beat ourselves.' Chargers struggle across the board in preseason loss to 49ers
San Francisco's Jacob Cowing, right, avoids Chargers linebacker Emany Johnson on his way to scoring on an 87-yard punt return in the Chargers' 41-9 preseason loss Thursday at SoFi Stadium.(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)It's hard to know how much stock to put in an NFL preseason game.
Twenty years ago, the Indianapolis Colts went 1-3 in the preseason and wound up winning the Super Bowl. A year later, the New York Giants did the same thing. And the following year, the Detroit Lions went 4-0 in the preseason before losing every regular-season game.
This much we know: The Chargers had precious few highlights Thursday night and a landslide of lowlights, resulting in a 41-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium.
On designed runs, the Chargers gained 1.8 yards per carry. They converted two of 14 third downs. Their defense surrendered five touchdowns, including an 83-yard punt return.
Read more:Chargers center Tyler Biadasz reportedly out indefinitely with an ACL injury
The only two statistical categories in which they had an edge: More penalties and more punts.
We got outplayed and we beat ourselves in all three phases," Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. It's not going to go well when those two things occur."
Harbaugh was understandably subdued, especially on the heels of a more encouraging performance in a preseason opener at Houston. But this was a preseason game, a time to work out the many wrinkles, and the Chargers have more than three weeks before they open the regular season at home against Arizona.
Still, there are significant hurdles to overcome. For one, they have lost their center to a knee injury, likely for the season. Tyler Biadasz suffered a serious injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in practice this week, and the prognosis sounds bleak.
Yeah, it's an ACL," Harbaugh confirmed after the game. Doesn't look promising. We don't - we're not putting a label on it right now, and we'll make a decision."
Moving into the starting center job will be rookie Jake Slaughter, a second-round pick who played that position at Florida.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh walks on the field with his players during a preseason loss to the 49ers at SoFi Stadium on Thursday night.(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)Slaughter doesn't sound overwhelmed about being thrust into the starting role.
I don't think I'd say we're behind," he said. There's a little bit of a catch-up period there, but I felt good about everything in that regard."
He played nine snaps on Thursday and watched the rest of the game from the sideline. It's understandable that the Chargers only wanted light duty from him, considering they slogged through a brutal 2025 season when they lost their two outstanding tackles and endured a revolving door along the offensive line throughout the year.
Left tackle Rashawn Slater is dealing with a flare up of his surgically repaired knee and missed practices this week. The Chargers lost him to a knee injury in training camp last summer.
As is common throughout the NFL, lots of Chargers starters were merely spectators for the second of three preseason games. Among those who didn't dress for the game were Slater and right tackle Joe Alt, linebackers Khalil Mack and Akheem Mesidor (their 2026 first-round pick), cornerback Donte Jackson and All-Pro safety Derwin James.
Here are some more observations from the Chargers' preseason loss to the 49ers:
Trey Lance shows off
Chargers quarterback Trey Lance scrambles against the 49ers in the first half Thursday.(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)As he did in Houston, quarterback Trey Lance turned in a respectable performance - this time against the franchise that drafted him third overall in 2020.
His splashiest play Thursday was a 37-yard scramble through the middle of the San Francisco defense. The 49ers were in man-to-man coverage and lost track of the Chargers quarterback.
Lance ran to the six before he was dragged down. The Chargers were unable to cross the goal line from there, however, and walked off the field with a field goal. Lance completed 10 of 16 passes for 73 yards.
Justin Herbert started the game, but he and the rest of the starters played just one series, a three-and-out. DJ Uiagalelei completed seven of 15 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Brenen Thompson exits with injuryChargers rookie receiver Brenen Thompson made some headlines after the joint practice with the 49ers, saying of the San Francisco defense we tore them up." He had two touchdown catches in those sessions.
Two days later, the fourth-round pick found himself in the blue medical tent. Trainers were looking at Thompson in the opening quarter Thursday night, ultimately walking him to the locker room.
Read more:Speedy rookie Brenen Thompson could help shift Chargers offense into overdrive
Forgive the Chargers if they wince. Thompson is the backup to Quentin Johnston, who limped off the practice field with an apparent leg injury this week and didn't dress for the preseason game.
Thompson ran the 40 in a blistering 4.26 seconds, tying him for the fastest at the 2026 combine and the third-fastest time by a wide receiver at the combine since 2003.
In the second quarter, offensive lineman Branson Taylor left the game with a shoulder issue. He has been battling for the starting job at left guard.
Positives and negatives
San Francisco cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., right, breaks up a pass intended for Chargers wide receiver Dalevon Campbell on Thursday.(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)Even though the Chargers ranked a middle-of-the-pack 17th in net punting average last season, JK Scott garnered more respect than that. Pro Football Focus ranked him fourth in a grading system that factors in hang time, directional placement and situational execution.
Scott played that way against the 49ers, pinning them deep in their territory more than once. He was his team's most effective weapon until Lance had his big carry midway through the second quarter.
But the punt play folks will remember was the 84-yard return for a touchdown by San Francisco's Jacob Cowing, who blew past Scott and the rest of the coverage team. (In fairness, Scott was taken out by an apparent block in the back that wasn't flagged.) What was called was an unsportsmanlike penalty on 49ers tackle Trent Williams, who came off the bench to celebrate the return.
As for kicking, Cameron Dicker is typically automatic on extra points, but he missed one after linebacker Junior Colson scored on an interception return in the third quarter.
Still a work in progressThere were some wince-worthy coverage breakdowns for the Chargers pass defense, and particularly at corner. The club didn't make any big moves in that department in the offseason, nor did it draft any cornerbacks.
It's clear the Chargers are still figuring out Mike McDaniel's offense, and the new offensive coordinator wasn't even getting exotic.
Three times in the first half, the home team saw big gains wiped out by mental errors. First, a fairly deep pass to running back Keaton Mitchell for 21 yards was nullified by an illegal formation. Then, an illegal shift scrubbed an 18-yard catch and carry by Oronde Gadsden II. Finally, another illegal formation brought back an 11-yard run by Lance.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.