INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- The blocking was stellar. Receivers ran open. The Chargers were humming. It was their opening drive of Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals, and the Mike McDaniel offense was having its way. That first drive went eight plays for 77 yards and ended with an Omarion Hampton score.
From there, things fell apart in all three phases as the Chargers lost 26-14. In many ways, it was a team coach Jim Harbaugh didn't recognize.
"Some just uncharacteristic things happened," he said. "I would call it sloppy at times, too sloppy. And that's something we got to get fixed."
Quarterback Justin Herbert, who had 209 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception, agreed with Harbaugh's sentiment.
"We can't expect to win like that," Herbert said, "and we have to do better."
Some of the uncharacteristic behavior began on the Cardinals' opening drive. The Chargers' defense was among the league's best during the past two seasons, but on the first play, Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett connected with tight end Trey McBride for 27 yards. Arizona marched down the field with ease, ending an 11-play, 70-yard drive with a Jeremiyah Love touchdown.
Then, on the Chargers' second offensive series of the game, Hampton fumbled after he ran into his own teammate, wide receiver Tre' Harris.
Harbaugh was somewhat uncharacteristic, too. Before Sunday, he had gone for it on fourth down just six times inside the 20 since taking over the Chargers. He made it seven, as he went for it on fourth down from Arizona's 3-yard line with just under two minutes remaining in the second quarter while trailing 10-7.
The Chargers didn't convert. Instead, Cardinals defensive tackle Dante Stills bull-rushed left guard Trey Pipkins III, who was rotating with Kayode Awosika throughout the game, for a sack.
That sack came on Pipkins' first series of the game, after Awosika played the first two. Harbaugh said that was the plan and could continue throughout the season.
"There were definitely good things, but a lot of things to get better at, too," Harbaugh said.
Then, in the fourth quarter, Cardinals wide receiver Simi Fehoko, a former Charger, blocked JK Scott's punt, resulting in an Arizona touchdown two plays later.
And there were the penalties, five of which came in the fourth quarter. Four of the Chargers' seven penalties were pre-snap flags for false starts, signs of a team not comfortable in a new offense.
"I'm definitely a little surprised. I think it was uncharacteristic of us," left tackle Rashawn Slater said. "But it's Week 1."
One of the bright spots of this offense came early, as Herbert found Ladd McConkey often. McConkey had five catches for 82 yards and appeared to be on his way for much more. But in the third quarter, linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. delivered a big hit that forced McConkey to exit the game and not return because of a chest injury.
After the game, Harbaugh said he didn't have an update on McConkey.
"Ladd's a really good football player," Herbert said. "We're really glad to have him, and he made a ton of plays today, so I'm hoping he feels better."
The Chargers trailed by only two points when McConkey left the game, but the offense didn't score after his exit. The four remaining drives were riddled with penalties, and Herbert was sacked two more times for a total of three on the day.
The moment with the most potential after McConkey's exit came on a deep pass to Derius Davis, who had sprinted past cornerback Denzel Burke, but the ball was intercepted by safety Andrew Wingard. Even if the pass had been completed, it wouldn't have counted, as right guard Cole Strange was flagged for holding. The moment was somewhat of a microcosm of the Chargers' day: laden with mistakes even when it seemed promising.
"Not the way we would want it to go," Harbaugh said. "And so I know the group of competitors we have, it's the feeling of you get punched and how we respond is what I'm thinking about right now."
This loss marked uncharted territory for Harbaugh in the NFL, as it was his first in a season-opening game as a head coach. He entered Sunday 6-0 in season openers, the best record among active NFL head coaches.
