Just ask superstar defender Joey Bosa. Sure, the team coughed up a 21-point lead out of halftime and nearly let the struggling Bengals steal one in Los Angeles. For many fans, a sense of deja vu was probably settling in—for players, too. But it turns out the Jim Harbaugh era really is different.

The Chargers' performance against the Bengals could be a turning point for Jim Harbaugh's team as they try to establish a winning culture.