Jim Harbaugh fumes after Chargers kicker causes historical NFL situation | NFL | Sport

Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, was left fuming after a blunder by his team’s kicker, Cameron Dicker. The error occurred during a point-after-touchdown (PAT) attempt which was blocked, giving the Houston Texans an unexpected chance to score a rare two-point touchdown.

Instead of catching the ball and going to ground, which would have ended the play, Dicker batted the ball, keeping it live. This led to confusion among the Chargers players, while the Texans special teams quickly realised they could return it to the end-zone.

Dicker had hoped his teammates could capitalise on the rule, but instead, Harbaugh was left scolding his special teams over the unusual two-point return touchdown – a first in the wildcard round of the playoffs. D’Angelo Ross, a cornerback for the Texans, was quick to seize the opportunity, grabbing the ball and sprinting to the end-zone, with several Houston special teams players clearly aware that the play was still live.

The Chargers suffered a devastating blow, immediately after scoring an 86-yard touchdown when Justin Herbert connected with impressive rookie Ladd McConkey, who outmanoeuvred a defensive back to score. The Texans had their offensive struggles in the game, but capitalised on a series of blunders from the Chargers as Herbert threw four brutal interceptions that saw them advance to the second round.

The game remained close through the first three quarters before the Chargers’ errors allowed Houston to secure a comfortable victory. This marks the end of Harbaugh’s first season back in the NFL after leaving the Michigan Wolverines, where he won a National Championship in his final year as a college football head coach before returning to the league.

The Chargers will now immediately shift their focus on how to bolster their team heading into 2025, with questions surrounding offensive playcaller Greg Roman who has faced significant criticism for his role in the loss to the Texans.

This article originally appeared on Mirror US