The Chargers start the 2026 season on an underwhelming note, losing to the Cardinals 26-14 to go 0-1.
Los Angeles looked flat for most of the game, as almost nothing went right for the Bolts in their season opener.
There wasn't much to go on after the season opener. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly in the loss.
The Good
Ladd McConkey: McConkey was the brightest spot on the offense, hauling in five receptions for 82 yards and scoring an eight-yard touchdown in the third quarter before suffering a chest injury.
David Njoku: In his very first game with Los Angeles, Njoku stepped up as a reliable weapon for Herbert. He caught all 5 of his targets for 58 yards, operating as the clear top tight end option.
Justin Herbert's milestone: Herbert became the fourth-fastest
player in NFL history to reach 25,000 passing yards. Herbert did so in the fourth quarter when the game was out of reach. He needed 180 yards to reach it entering Sunday, and it took him nearly the entire 60-minute contest to reach it after a hot start.
The Bad
The offense: A unit led by Mike McDaniel that was supposed to transcend the NFL was mediocre on Sunday. They averaged 5.3 yards per play and were 2-for-8 in third-down efficiency and 0-for-3 in fourth-down efficiency. The run game was also underwhelming, totaling 81 yards on the ground.
Justin Herbert's out-of-sync day: Herbert threw for only 209 yards, suffered three sacks, was off on timing on routes with receivers, and threw a critical interception into double coverage deep downfield in the fourth quarter.
Injuries: Along the way, the Chargers suffered a few injuries, with those players being Ladd McConkey (chest/hip), KeAndre Lambert-Smith (hamstring), and Elijah Molden (hamstring).
The Ugly
The defense: Chris O'Leary's debut wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. The Chargers let the Cardinals drive down the field in the game's first series, and Arizona didn't look back. Los Angeles allowed a total of 393 yards.
Clock management: The defense could not get off the field, allowing the Cardinals to completely control the time of possession, 37:31 to 22:29.
Tight end coverage: The secondary and linebacker units had no answers for Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, who had his way, finishing with 9 receptions, 95 yards, and the game-sealing 3-yard touchdown pass in the final frame.
Special teams crumble: A massive protection breakdown allowed the Cardinals' special teams unit to burst through the line completely unblocked. The ball was swatted right off punter JK Scott's foot, sending it bounding backward to the Chargers' own 3-yard line. Arizona capitalized immediately with a quick score, completely slamming the door on any potential Los Angeles comeback.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: The good, the bad and the ugly from Chargers' loss to Cardinals
