Game recap
Chargers @ Seahawks
2026 Wk 4 · SEA 30, LAC 23
Seattle turned four takeaways into a win, and the Chargers are 0-4 for the first time under Harbaugh.
Interceptions on the first two snaps put the game on its third drive 14 seconds in. In 7,335 games since 1999, that never happened before.
RareThe first two scrimmage plays
| Clock | Offense | Passer | Intercepted by | Spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 14:53 | LAC | Justin Herbert | Drake Thomas (SEA) | LAC 45 |
| Q1 14:46 | SEA | Sam Darnold | Tuli Tuipulotu (LAC) | LAC 44 |
Regular and postseason games with play-by-play, 1999 to 2026
| Games | Interception on the first scrimmage play | Interceptions on the first two |
|---|---|---|
| 7,335 | 63 | 1 |
Herbert threw an interception on the first play from scrimmage, 7 seconds in. On the very next snap, Darnold threw one back, and the Chargers started the game's third drive with 14:46 still on the first quarter clock. Since 1999, 63 games started with an interception on the first scrimmage play, and in only this one did the other offense answer with an interception of its own. The Chargers took the second takeaway at midfield and got a 40 yard Cameron Dicker field goal out of it.
Why it matters. It was a sign of what followed: the Chargers gave the ball away three more times, and Seattle scored 14 points off those takeaways. Seattle's own early interception only cost it a field goal from a short field, its one giveaway of the day.
The Chargers gained more yards, converted more third downs and matched Seattle's EPA per play. They lost by 7 because they gave the ball away four times to Seattle's one.
AnomalyOffense, both teams (pass and run plays, kneels and two point tries excluded)
| Team | Plays | Yards | EPA/play | Success% | 3rd down conv. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAC | 68 | 301 | -0.085 | 39.7% | 7 of 15 |
| SEA | 56 | 288 | -0.088 | 39.3% | 3 of 12 |
Every turnover and what came of it
| Clock | Turnover | Next possession result |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 14:53 | Herbert intercepted by Drake Thomas (LAC 45) | SEA: Darnold intercepted next snap, 0 pts |
| Q1 14:46 | Darnold intercepted by Tuli Tuipulotu (LAC 44) | LAC: Cameron Dicker 40 yard FG, 3 pts |
| Q1 10:13 | Derius Davis muffed punt, SEA recovers at LAC 23 | SEA: Darnold to Emanuel Wilson, 23 yard TD on the next snap, 7 pts |
| Q2 1:29 | Herbert intercepted by Ernest Jones (returned to LAC 20) | SEA: Wilson 8 yard TD run two plays later, 7 pts |
| Q4 1:03 | Herbert strip sacked by Uchenna Nwosu, SEA recovers | SEA: two kneels, game over |
Seattle scored 14 points off takeaways on two drives that covered 43 yards and three plays combined. The Chargers scored 3 off their one takeaway. Take the turnover points out and the Chargers outscored Seattle 20-16.
Why it matters. On a per play basis these offenses were nearly identical, separated by 0.003 EPA, and the Chargers were the better third down team by a wide margin. The game was decided by short fields: both Seattle touchdowns that followed a takeaway started at the Chargers 23 or closer. That is the profile of a result driven by ball security more than by which offense moved the ball better.
Justin Herbert has thrown 6 interceptions in four games. His most through four games of any earlier season was 3.
RareJustin Herbert, first four regular season games of every season
| Season | Att | TD | INT | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 141 | 9 | 3 | 9 |
| 2021 | 164 | 9 | 3 | 7 |
| 2022 | 166 | 9 | 2 | 4 |
| 2023 | 145 | 7 | 1 | 9 |
| 2024 | 91 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 2025 | 149 | 7 | 3 | 12 |
| 2026 | 119 | 4 | 6 | 12 |
Herbert's regular season games with 2 or more interceptions and 4 or more sacks (99 games, 2020 to 2026)
| Season | Week | Opp | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7 | KC | 17/30 | 259 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2026 | 4 | SEA | 19/31 | 189 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Herbert went 19 of 31 for 189 yards with 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions and 4 sacks, and lost a fumble on the last of those sacks. It was only the second game in his 99 regular season appearances with at least two interceptions and four sacks. His 4 touchdowns through four games are also the fewest of any of his seasons.
Why it matters. In six earlier seasons Herbert never had more than 3 interceptions through four games. Doubling that while matching his worst sack count from 2025 points at an offense where he is under pressure and forcing throws, not a single bad afternoon. Four games is still a small window, so the interception rate can move quickly in either direction.
The Chargers' first half offense ran at minus 0.548 EPA per play. Their second half ran at plus 0.302.
SplitPoints by half
| Half | LAC | SEA |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 6 | 20 |
| 2nd | 17 | 10 |
Offensive efficiency by half (pass and run plays, kneels and two point tries excluded)
| Team | Half | Plays | EPA/play | Success% | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAC | 1st | 31 | -0.548 | 25.8% | 92 |
| LAC | 2nd | 37 | 0.302 | 51.4% | 209 |
| SEA | 1st | 30 | -0.142 | 40.0% | 190 |
| SEA | 2nd | 26 | -0.026 | 38.5% | 98 |
Both Chargers interceptions and the muffed punt came in the first half, and the offense gained 92 yards on 31 plays before halftime. After the break it gained 209 on 37 and succeeded on just over half its plays. Seattle's offense was below zero in both halves, and its 20 first half points rested on the two short fields.
Why it matters. The second half was the Chargers' offense playing at a level that wins most games, which makes the first half the whole story. A success rate of 25.8 percent means roughly three of every four snaps failed to add expected points. Seattle never had to be good on offense in the second half because the 20-6 halftime lead was built on takeaways.
After falling behind 27-6, the Chargers outscored Seattle 17-3. Their win probability never rose above 8.2 percent.
TrendScoring after Seattle went up 27-6, with Chargers win probability before the snap
| Clock | Play | Score after | LAC win prob. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 4:58 | Herbert to Kimani Vidal, 9 yard TD | SEA 27, LAC 13 | 4.2% |
| Q3 1:22 | Jason Myers 35 yard FG | SEA 30, LAC 13 | 4.8% |
| Q4 7:52 | Omarion Hampton 2 yard TD run | SEA 30, LAC 20 | 3.2% |
| Q4 3:28 | 4th and 7 at own 10: Herbert to Quentin Johnston, 44 yards | SEA 30, LAC 20 | 2.2% |
| Q4 2:17 | Dicker 36 yard FG | SEA 30, LAC 23 | 7.8% |
| Q4 1:22 | Herbert to Oronde Gadsden II, 9 yards to LAC 29 | SEA 30, LAC 23 | 8.2% |
| Q4 1:03 | Nwosu strip sack, Seattle recovers | SEA 30, LAC 23 | 7.4% |
The Chargers got the ball back at their own 11 with 1:42 left and no timeouts, needing a touchdown. Two plays moved them to the 29, then Nwosu beat the protection on first down and Derick Hall fell on the ball. Seattle kneeled twice to finish it.
Why it matters. The rally was real on the scoreboard but never close on the clock: a 21 point deficit with more than 25 minutes left needed three scores, and the Chargers used the 4th and 7 conversion and a field goal from the Seattle 19 to get within one score. The final possession started 89 yards away. Win probability stayed in single digits throughout because every Chargers score came with too little time left behind it.
Seattle had allowed 3 sacks in its first three games. The Chargers sacked Sam Darnold 3 times on 25 pass plays.
ComparisonSacks on pass plays (including sacks), 2026 Weeks 1 to 3 versus this game
| Offense | Period | Pass plays | Sacks | Sack rate | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA | Wk 1 to 3 | 99 | 3 | 3.0% | 2 |
| SEA | Wk 4 | 25 | 3 | 12.0% | 1 |
| LAC | Wk 1 to 3 | 96 | 8 | 8.3% | 4 |
| LAC | Wk 4 | 36 | 4 | 11.1% | 2 |
Both pass rushes got home well above their opponents' norms. Seattle's sack rate allowed quadrupled from 3.0 to 12.0 percent, and Darnold finished 13 of 22 for 168 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Chargers' line, already allowing sacks on 8.3 percent of pass plays, gave up 4 more, the last of them the game ending strip sack.
Why it matters. Seattle's offense threw only 22 times, so three sacks were a large share of its passing game, and two came on the possession after the Chargers cut it to 30-23. The difference is what each team did around the sacks: Seattle turned its pressure into a turnover at the end, while the Chargers' pressure never produced a takeaway after the first quarter. With 0-4 on one side and three games of baseline on the other, read the rates as direction rather than precise size.
The Chargers are 0-4 for the fourth time since 1999, and for the first time in Jim Harbaugh's NFL career.
MilestoneChargers seasons since 1999 that started 0-4
| Season | Head coach | Record after 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Mike Riley | 0-4 |
| 2003 | Marty Schottenheimer | 0-4 |
| 2017 | Anthony Lynn | 0-4 |
| 2026 | Jim Harbaugh | 0-4 |
Jim Harbaugh's record through four regular season games, every NFL season
| Season | Team | Wins in first 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | SF | 3 |
| 2012 | SF | 3 |
| 2013 | SF | 2 |
| 2014 | SF | 2 |
| 2024 | LAC | 2 |
| 2025 | LAC | 3 |
| 2026 | LAC | 0 |
The Chargers have lost to Arizona 26-14, the Raiders 26-14, Buffalo 24-16 and now Seattle 30-23. In six earlier NFL seasons Harbaugh had never won fewer than two of his first four games.
Why it matters. An 0-4 start is rare for this franchise and unprecedented for this coach, whose teams had won at least half of their first four games every season. The Seattle loss was the closest of the four and came with the Chargers outgaining Seattle 301 yards to 288, which sharpens the point that turnovers, not offensive production, cost them this one.
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