Jim Harbaugh shares Mike McDaniel job security update after Chargers' loss to Seahawks

Ahead of the Los Angeles Chargers' Week 4 game at the Seattle Seahawks, first-year Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said that he was "fully responsible" for the team's record and for the struggles the Los Angeles offense endured over the season's first three weeks. 

The Chargers then suffered a 30-23 loss in Seattle that dropped them to 0-4 on the campaign. Following the defeat, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh shared a major update on McDaniel's job status. 

Is Mike McDaniel in danger of losing his job? 

"His job is not in jeopardy," Harbaugh said about McDaniel, per Kris Rhim of ESPN. "He's a skilled coach, and we're going to keep growing."

The Seahawks grabbed a 20-3 lead in the second quarter of Sunday's contest, and the hosts ultimately took a 20-6 advantage into halftime. As Rhim noted, however, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert went 13-of-16 passing for 144 yards in the second half to give the visitors a chance to produce a late game-winning drive. However, Seattle's Uchenna Nwosu recorded a strip sack with roughly a minute remaining in regulation that ensured Los Angeles would remain winless. 

"I think there were a lot of good things in the second half," Herbert said about his team's latest loss. "I appreciated the battle and the fight from everyone, and being able to strain out some of those long drives is really important for us, and hopefully, that's something we can build off of."

Jim Harbaugh still has "optimism" despite Chargers' record

According to ESPN stats, the Chargers began Monday ranked 21st in the NFL with an average of 306.8 yards per game and 29th with an average of 16.8 points scored per contest. Meanwhile, Herbert ended the weekend ranked 29th out of 30 qualified players with a 27.9 adjusted QBR on the season. 

Nevertheless, Harbaugh seemed encouraged by what he saw from Herbert and the team's offense in the second half of Sunday's loss. 

"The plan did not work to result in a victory, and we'll go back and plan some more with the skilled coaches we have and the talented players and fight," Harbaugh explained. "That's what gives me optimism."

The Chargers will next host the 2-2 Denver Broncos on Oct. 11. As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Los Angeles as a 3.5-point home underdog for that game.