The Chargers are now 3-1 after a disappointing 21-18 road loss to the Giants on Sunday.
Here are five takeaways from Week 4.
1. Time to regroup
The Chargers had pretty much done everything right during their 3-0 start to the season, whether it was getting out to an early lead, playing disciplined or making clutch plays late in the fourth quarter.
But on Sunday in New Jersey, the opposite happened.
The result was the Chargers first loss of the season, a three-point defeat to the previously winless Giants where the Bolts simply couldn't make a big play to help turn the tide.
"It stings. Guys fought, guys battled," Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh said. "I wasn't able to put ourselves in a position to win the game, but our guys kept battling."
He later added: "We were able to come up with some plays, just not enough … [we have] things to refit and things to get better at. But love the never give up [attitude]."
A key reason why the Bolts came up short in Week 4?
They lost the turnover battle 2-0, something Harbaugh prides his team on winning more often than not.
Those pair of miscues led to 10 Giants points as New York was inside the Chargers 5-yard line after both interceptions.
"Losing is tough, obviously," Daiyan Henley said. "As a defense, I feel like we had our moments both good and bad. We just had to put together a full game and we didn't do that as a defense. That's what it comes down to.
"In our wins, we talk about how we can do better and in our losses, we talk about how we can do better," Henley added. "Us as a defense, we know we have to get those turnovers, they got turnovers on their side of the ball. We got to return the favor and that's where we lacked today."
Overall, the Chargers outgained the Giants in total yardage by the count of 338 to 250.
But a slow start — the Chargers trailed 10-0 early in the second quarter — meant the Bolts were playing catch up for most of the afternoon at MetLIfe Stadium.
Even so, the Chargers had multiple fourth-quarter possessions down by three points where they could have tied the game or taken the lead.
"We had our shot and we didn't execute. That's on us as an offense," Justin Herbert said. "I thought the defense battled all day, did a great job getting those stops.
"Just on us to be able to execute and make sure we're moving forward," Herbert added.
Players in the postgame locker from talked about learning from this one before turning the page to a Week 5 home game against the Commanders.
"Get together, watch film, talk about it with each other," Omarion Hampton said. "Move onto the next week, get over it and see what we could do better really."
Tuli Tuipulotu added: "We've got to learn from it and bounce back."
But Trey Pipkins III summed up the day in a few succinct words.
"Not good enough to win," Pipkins said.
2. Hampton posts career day
Hampton is only four games into his NFL career, but the 2025 first-round draft pick already looks like a star.
The 22-year-old carried the offense with a career day of 128 rushing yards and a score on just 12 carries against the Giants.
"Offensive line was doing a good job making the holes and everything. It's my job to hit it," Hampton said.
Hampton hit multiple big runs Sunday, including a beastly 18-yard run on third down, plus another 29-yard scamper on third down in the fourth quarter.
But the highlight was undoubtedly a 54-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter that gave the Chargers life when they were down double digits.
"My offensive line did a good job opening up the hole. They put me to the second level so it was my job to take it all the way to the crib," said Hampton, who noted postgame that he was close to breaking off some long runs in recent weeks.
Hampton's performance came in the Chargers first game without Najee Harris as the running back is out for the season with an Achilles injury.
Hampton stepped up in the clutch and showed why the Chargers were ecstatic to take him with the 22nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
"He put us in a position to win," Harbaugh said. "He had a heck of a game. Big runs."
He later added: "It was impressive, he's really getting the speed of the game. He's in rhythm."
Pipkins said: "It was awesome to see him pop some runs like that. Dude runs hard, we're going to need that the rest of the year. Exciting to see that, for sure."
3. Tuipulotu notches 4.0 sacks
If Hampton starred on offense, it was Tuipulotu who led the way on defense.
The third-year edge rusher notched 4.0 sacks against the Giants in Week 4 — a trio of which came against rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Tuipulotu entered the game without any sacks. But Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter noted last week that the production would come if Tuipulotu simply kept playing his game.
Tuipulotu deflected any praise after the game.
"Just playing hard, that's pretty much it," Tuipulotu said.
He added: "It wasn't no specific way they were playing me, I was just playing hard and the sacks came."
Tuipulotu was dominant in a first half that saw him tally 3.0 sacks, four quarterback hits and four more pressures at MetLife Stadium.
He later sacked Dart in the third quarter to bring his total to four on the day but said postgame that his total could have been even higher.
"I was trying to do my best. I missed a couple, I'm disappointed on the ones I missed because it could have helped the team out a little bit more," Tuipulotu said. "I could've got the ball out more as well. Got to go learn from it."
Even so, it was an epic performance from Tuipulotu.
"I wanted this win so bad for Tuli," Henley said. "Straight execution, making the plays he's supposed to make and the ones where you're not expecting him to make those plays.
"As a defense, I feel like Tuli played outstanding," Henley added. "We just got to bring that same level for everybody."
Harbaugh said: "Really some stellar play [from Tuipulotu]."
4. Alt leaves with ankle injury
The Chargers were already down starter along the offensive line Sunday as Mekhi Becton was out with a concussion.
The Bolts then lost their best remaining lineman in Joe Alt, who suffered an ankle injury midway through the first quarter and did not return.
Harbaugh said postgame that he did not have an update on Alt, but his teammates made it clear how big of a loss it was to lose the 6-foot-8 star at left tackle.
"Joe, he's a staple of this offensive line and a great player," Bradley Bozeman said. "Guy gives everything he can and does. He prepares every single week, he does the extra film study, he's a pro of pros."
Pipkins added: "Tough. You never want to see a guy do that. We'll support Joe in whatever he needs. He'll be good, he's a tough dude."
Austin Deculus came in and replaced Alt at left tackle, but the line struggled as a whole against a ferocious Giants front.
Herbert was sacked just twice but hit 12 times in all, but all of them coming from the trio of Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux and rookie Abdul Carter.
"We had some struggles at offensive line today," Bozeman said. "That was a really good front. I'm not going to make excuses, we've got to be better obviously.
"Sometimes the ball doesn't quite turn your way," Bozeman added. "We're going to go back to the drawing board, keep working, keep building and go from there."
Pipkins said: "Guys are good, but at the end of the day have to go back to our technique and trust our fundamentals."
Harbaugh also commented on the state of the offensive line of late.
"He is taking too many [hits]," Harbaugh said of Herbert. "Yeah, it's very concerning. We'll go back and look, we got to get better. We got to put him in a better position. Don't think he's been in a good position."
Alt switched to from right tackle to left after Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp.
"Always tough to lose a guy like that," Herbert said. "Especially moving him from right to left and the impact he has on our team. We're obviously hoping for the best for him. He'll do everything he can to be back out there as soon as he can."
5. Too many penalties
The Chargers received the opening kickoff Sunday and were set to run their first offensive play of the day at their own 35-yard line.
But Pipkins was called for a false start, moving the Bolts back five yards before they had a chance to go forward.
It turned out to be a sign of things to come for the Chargers, who committed a whopping 14 penalties for 107 yards against the Giants.
"Way too many penalties," Harbaugh said.
And the culprits were spread around as each phase of the team — offense, defense and special teams — were each called for infractions.
There was a defensive pass interference call on New York's first offensive drive, and a personal foul for unnecessary roughness after Cameron Dicker hit a 43-yard field goal.
Perhaps the most frustrating sequence on offense came a few minutes into the second quarter.
The Bolts had just reached the red zone at the 20-yard line but were called for an illegal block in the back.
That was followed by a completed pass for a 4-yard loss and a 19-yard completion, but Herbert was then called for intentional grounding on third down.
Dicker hit a field goal but the Chargers left four points on the field, a noticeable number considering they lost by only three.
"I thought that was definitely tough by us. We can't expect to win football games and turning the ball over like I did and to have penalties like that," Herbert said. "We're putting ourselves behind the chains and having a tough time coming back. We need to play better football than that."
Bozeman added: "Lack of discipline or whatever it is that was going on, we got to lock that back in and be ready to roll."
