INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The Los Angeles Chargers have been punched in the mouth.

What now?

That’s really the only question that matters after Sunday’s loss. The Chargers were played by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 40-17 loss at SoFi Stadium. No parsing. No silver linings. There is no need to delve deep into the weeds to uncover the truth. The score tells the whole story.

“They dominated us,” said safety Elijah Molden.

How the Chargers respond to this game will determine the fate of Jim Harbaugh’s first season in LA

Because this is a new challenge for this group. It will test the resolve of what has seemed like a revitalized organization all season. It will test the players. It will test the coaching staff. It will test the culture that Harbaugh has built since April 2nd.

The Chargers have lost games this season, but they haven’t lost like this.

The only other double-digit loss this year came in Week 3 at the Pittsburgh Steelers. In that game, the Chargers were tied until the fourth quarter. They were within three points until a Steelers touchdown with 7:02 left.

Even in the loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12, the Chargers had a one-point lead in the fourth quarter. A crucial third-down drop from Quentin Johnston changed the game.

The Chargers have been competitive in every game this season. They were not competitive on Sunday. Certainly not in the second half, as the defense gave up 27 points on five consecutive scoring drives and the offense only managed 64 yards.

That’s what makes this loss different.

“I’m glad it’s new. I’m glad it’s not known,” linebacker Daiyan Henley said. “Every team in NFL history has suffered a loss, but not every team comes back from losses like that. And that’s why we have to be the team that comes back.”

The last five games have been very telling about where this team is in its first year under Harbaugh.

The Chargers faced five of the 12 best offenses in football: the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens, the Atlanta Falcons, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Bucs. According to TruMedia, the Chargers ranked fourth in defensive success rate through the first 10 weeks of the season. Since Week 11, when they played the Bengals, the Chargers are 27th in winning percentage. According to TruMedia, the Chargers ranked second in defensive EPA per game through the first 10 weeks of the season. They have been in 21st place since week 11.

The defense has added value in the first 10 weeks. They have lost value during this phase.

The offense has now gone from mediocre to poor. They ranked 17th in EPA per game through the first 10 weeks of the season, according to TruMedia. They have been ranked 25th since week 11.

As the defense has faltered against better opponents, the offense has also taken steps backwards.

The dam seemed to break on Sunday against the Bucs.

The Chargers came into this game with the best defense in football.

“Talk about No. 1 scoring defense,” Molden said. “We just gave up 40.”

The Bucs finished the game with 506 total yards. Baker Mayfield threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns. The Chargers had no answer for receiver Mike Evans, who caught nine of his 11 targets for 159 yards and two touchdowns. Mayfield had good structure. Mayfield was good at structure, particularly at avoiding pressure and shaking off potential sack players. The Chargers also allowed 223 rushing yards.

“This is unacceptable,” Henley said.

Most notably, it crushed a defense that was among the league’s best at stopping explosive plays. The Chargers allowed 10 explosive plays, including four of at least 25 yards.

They had only allowed four plays of more than 50 yards all season before Sunday. They gave the Bucs two such plays – one on a touchdown to Evans and another on a rush by running back Bucky Irving.

“We didn’t stop anything today,” said security guard Derwin James Jr., “and it showed.”

The Chargers were beaten in every phase.

“It was pretty thorough,” Harbaugh said, before pausing for a moment and choosing a different word. “Very thorough.”

The Chargers started the game well offensively, scoring on their first three drives to build a 17-10 lead. After missing last week with knee and shoulder injuries, rookie receiver Ladd McConkey provided an early boost with three catches on the first drive, including a touchdown. Johnston turned a comeback drive out of the red zone into a 13-yard score in the second quarter, capitalizing on a Tarheeb Still interception – one of just two stops for the defense in the game.

But the offensive performance seemed to hinge on a fourth-down decision by Harbaugh later in the second quarter. Edge rusher Joey Bosa forced a fumble. The Chargers took over midfield. Thanks to a defensive holding call, they moved into Bucs territory. Three plays later, the Chargers faced a fourth-and-5 from Tampa Bay’s 42-yard line.

For the second time in as many weeks, Harbaugh chose to punt from opponent territory. Punter JK Scott hit his kick into the end zone for a touchback. The Bucs took over at the 20-yard line. The result of the decision was 22 yards in field position.

“It would have been a 60-yard field goal or attempted,” Harbaugh said. “Our defense had two good stops and turned the ball over twice. I imagined attacking them from close range and winning the ball back.”

At that point, the Chargers had also allowed 152 yards. It was clear that they would have a hard time slowing down Mayfield and the Bucs’ offense. Harbaugh placed too much emphasis on turnovers and overestimated the actual performance of his defense.

The Bucs drove 61 yards on the ensuing possession, the first of six consecutive scoring drives.

The Chargers never scored again.

They couldn’t run the ball. They finished with 32 yards rushing on 11 carries. They were unable to protect Justin Herbert, who entered the game with a left ankle sprain. Herbert was hit ten times and sacked three times. They struggled to handle the Bucs’ pressure packages. Herbert couldn’t move well at his ankle, which prevented him from avoiding the onslaught. He limped after the first two sacks of the game. Herbert said afterwards that his movement “obviously didn’t go where I would like to be.”

“I thought he was a little limited,” Harbaugh said of his quarterback.

The offensive inconsistencies are alarming. The device has drawers. But a complete performance has not yet been achieved. The sample size increased to 14 games. This is the Chargers’ identity on this side of the ball.

“We know we have to make this move at this point in the season,” left tackle Rashawn Slater said. “There really is no excuse. We have to do better. I feel bad. Justin plays his ass off. We have to protect him better and let the ball run.”

Receiver Joshua Palmer added, “I just know we have to respond.”

This reaction will begin in four days. The Chargers have three games left, starting Thursday night against the Denver Broncos.

“Our season is on the line,” cornerback Kristian Fulton said. “We’ll just see how bad guys really want it.”

The Chargers will face the 3-11 New England Patriots in Week 17 and the 2-11 Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18. They need two wins to secure their spot in the playoffs. Ten wins give them an automatic spot after the Miami Dolphins (6-8) and Indianapolis Colts (6-8) both lost on Sunday.

“Our focus is on the postseason,” Henley said.

Now the true nature of this team will be revealed.

As edge rusher Khalil Mack said, “You learn everything when you’re in adverse situations.”

“How we respond depends on how professional we are,” defensive lineman Morgan Fox said.

Will the Chargers question everything? Or are they becoming more resolute in their beliefs?

“We face this adversity,” Harbaugh said, “and this is how we respond.”

(Top photo by Jim Harbaugh: Ric Tapia / Getty Images)