LOS ANGELES -- Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars was an opportunity at redemption for the Chargers.
Three years ago, the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs against Jacksonville, losing the game 31-30 in what was the third-largest comeback in playoff history, and one of the most humiliating losses in NFL history. Many of the Chargers' best players were on that team, including outside linebacker Khalil Mack, safety Derwin James Jr. and quarterback Justin Herbert.
"It's just certain things you got to keep in your pocket and bring 'em out," Mack said ahead of Sunday's game. Asked if the loss years ago was a motivating factor, Mack added: "It's always one of 'em for me."
Instead of redemption, Sunday was another humiliation for the Chargers, who lost 35-6 to the Jaguars, marking the most lopsided loss of the Jim Harbaugh era in Los Angeles. The loss was only surprising to those who haven't closely watched this team, and the beatdown was reflective of the inconsistencies that have defined this Chargers team all season.
As the Chargers head into the bye week at 7-4, their record reflects their unpredictability: three straight AFC West wins to begin the season, including over the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs (5-5) and the Denver Broncos (9-2), who are tied for the best record in the NFL this season. Then, losses to the New York Giants (2-9) in rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart's first start, the Washington Commanders (3-8) and a blowout defeat to the Indianapolis Colts (8-2).
With six games remaining in the season, four of which come against playoff teams from last season, the Chargers have a 62% chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN's Football Power Index. If they wish to fulfill the championship aspirations the team had ahead of the season, they will need to find consistency.
"You can say it's concerning, but it's also an opportunity to get better," Mack said. "I don't got no panic in me, man. I ain't got no b---- in my blood."
Mack added: "It ain't time to chill, man. We got work to do."
Perhaps the Chargers' most inconsistent unit has been its defense. Last season, coordinator Jesse Minter led one of the league's best turnarounds, ending the season as the top defense in fewest points allowed (17.7). But his season has fluctuated between bad and good for Minter's unit.
In the first three weeks of the season, the Chargers had picked up where they left off as a defense, allowing the fourth-fewest points per game in the NFL (16.7), as L.A. got out to a 3-0 start. Over the next four weeks, however, during which L.A. went 1-3, the Chargers struggled, allowing the fourth-most points per game (28.3).
Then, from Weeks 8 to 10, the Chargers were the league's best defense: first in points allowed per game (13.3), opposing QBR (12.0), rushing yards per game (65) and passing yards per game (132). Some of this can be explained by the Chargers' opponents during this stretch, which included the Tennessee Titans (1-9), who have the worst record in the NFL, and the Carson Wentz-led Minnesota Vikings (4-6).
But the Chargers defense beat up on the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4), a team that had been averaging the 12th-most points per game (25.2), 25-10, in that stretch and held them to three points before a garbage time touchdown.
On Sunday against Jacksonville, against an offense that was 18th in points per game (22.7) coming into the matchup, the Chargers reverted to the defense they had during the midpoint of the season.
"It's not indicative of who we are," cornerback Donte Jackson said of the performance in Jacksonville and the defense' inconsistencies. "So it doesn't really come down to being a different team. It just comes down to executing when you're supposed to at the time you're supposed to do it."
The blame can't be placed all on the defense.
The Chargers' offense has also struggled, but it has an excuse in ways that the defense doesn't: The unit has been decimated by injuries.
Tackles Joe Alt (ankle) and Rashawn Slater (knee) are both out for the season, and L.A.'s top three running backs (Najee Harris, Hassan Haskins and Omarion Hampton) are either on injured reserve or out for the season. The Chargers have, at times this season, played their sixth and seventh-string tackles and are currently playing with their fourth-, fifth- and sixth-string running backs. The offensive line injuries have led the Chargers to have the league's fourth-worst pass block win rate (52.9%) and third-worst run block win rate (67.5%).
It also turned a passing offense that was one of the league's best early in the season into a putrid one. From Weeks 1 to 3, this group ranked first in passing yards per game (270), but since then, they have dropped to 16th and, since Week 8, are 26th in passing yards per game (179).
Sunday's loss to the Jaguars felt like the culmination of those struggles as Herbert finished with a career-low 81 passing yards.
Heading into the bye, the Chargers appear to be a team without an identity. Last season, this group could hang its hat on its defense. And at times this season, they have been able to, but just not consistently. At other times, it's been the passing offense -- or even the rushing offense -- and then it disappears.
"Every player, every coach, every staff member, everybody in their lives had issues that had to be fixed, and we have some football issues that have to be fixed," Harbaugh said. "But everybody's good at it. Everybody knows how to do it. They care deeply, and they're not going to back down. That's what we're going to do."