BREAKING: Jim Harbaugh stops short of backing Greg Roman as Chargers play-caller after playoff exit. The decision on Roman’s role is now wide open, and the future of the offense around Justin Herbert is on the line. I spoke with Harbaugh after the loss. He said he does not have the answer right now on whether Roman is the right voice. That lands like a drumbeat in January. It also makes the next few weeks the most important of the Herbert era.
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The Harbaugh Roman Crossroads
Greg Roman was brought in to set a tone. Power runs. Heavy personnel. Physical football that wears people down. It is the brand Harbaugh believes travels in winter. It worked with Jim at Stanford and with the 49ers. It worked again when Roman built a record rushing machine in Baltimore.
But Herbert is not Colin Kaepernick or Lamar Jackson. He is a tall pocket passer with rare touch and drive. He can run, but he is most dangerous with the ball in his hands as a thrower. He hunts windows. He throws lasers to the far hash. He kills soft zones. The question is not if Roman can coach. The question is if this setup brings out Herbert’s best.
This is not about blame. It is about fit, timing, and ownership of the offense.
Inside the Loss, Inside the Call Sheet
The playoff loss will hang over every meeting this week. The Chargers stayed on schedule in spots, then drifted into long third downs. Early down runs into stacked fronts set a trap. Herbert faced predictable passing downs against a defense that could tee off. The red zone plan leaned tight and heavy. The spacing shrank. Throws had to be perfect. A few were not. Protection broke down at key moments.
Herbert owned his mistakes afterward. That is who he is. But the flow did not help him. The offense needed more tempo and more easy yards. Quick hitters to the flat. Glance routes off play action. Spread sets that forced light boxes. When the Chargers finally opened the field, it looked more like Herbert. It came too late.
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Roman’s Philosophy vs Herbert’s Strengths
Roman wants to control the game. He wants a run game that breaks a defense’s will. The spine of his playbook uses tight ends, extra gaps, and downhill tracks. When that engine roars, it creates chunk play action. It also keeps your defense fresh.
Herbert thrives with early down throws. He is elite from shotgun. His play action is lethal with clear pictures. He likes to play fast and dictate. He can throw deep from any platform. He needs receivers who separate and a menu that forces two high safeties to widen. That is not anti run. It is run with purpose, then pass with aggression.
Can Both Worlds Meet?
Yes, if the staff tweaks the lens. You can live in 12 personnel, then motion to spread. You can own the A gaps, then throw glance and seams behind linebackers. You can marry Roman’s gap game with modern spacing. The plan must start with number 10 and build out.
What Changes Now
Harbaugh will run a full review. Jobs, titles, and roles are on the table. Expect a clear decision before free agency.
- Adjust who calls plays, even if Roman stays as coordinator
- Hire a dedicated passing game designer to partner with Roman
- Increase tempo and shotgun usage on early downs
- Add speed at receiver and a versatile third down back
Design the first 15 plays around Herbert’s tells. Force the defense to declare. Then punish the look with simple answers.
Culture, Accountability, and Buy In
This locker room respects hard coaching. Veterans want a plan that makes sense in January. Herbert has the voice to carry it. He will not point fingers. He will live in the building and set the tempo. But the scheme must reflect the quarterback. That is how you create total buy in. That is how you win the ugly games and still score 27.
Harbaugh’s program is built on edge and detail. He values loyalty, but he values winning more. If he believes a partnership shift will unlock Herbert, he will make it. If he believes Roman can adjust and thrive, he will double down and announce it. There is no halfway.
The Bottom Line
I expect a decision on play calling soon. The Chargers cannot drift into spring without clarity. Roman is a proven builder of elite run games. Herbert is a franchise passer in his prime. The path forward is simple to say and hard to do. Keep the physical identity, expand the air attack, and let your quarterback breathe. The next call Harbaugh makes will define the Chargers for years.
