Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel entered the 2026 season with quarterback Justin Herbert at the center of a new offensive setup. McDaniel arrived in Los Angeles after four seasons as the Miami Dolphins’ head coach, while head coach Jim Harbaugh has continued to build around Herbert since taking over the Chargers.
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Richie Incognito, host of the Initial Contact Show, questioned whether that pairing is producing what many expected after two games.
“They get the genius, Mike McDaniel. He’s supposed to unlock Herbert. Do not put Mike McDaniel’s name in the genius category. He is nowhere near [Kyle] Shanahan. He is nowhere near [Sean] McVay. He is nowhere near KOC up there in Minnesota. This guy is a fraud,” Richie said.
The Chargers are 0-2 after consecutive 26-14 losses to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders. Herbert has completed 59.3% of his passes for 401 yards, with two touchdowns and three interceptions. The offense is averaging only 14 points per game and ranks 30th in offensive EPA per play through two weeks.
The Shanahan comparison also matters because McDaniel worked under Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta and San Francisco before becoming the Dolphins’ head coach. His offenses have also relied on motion, shifts, and a strong run game.
The Chargers offense is second in the league in motion rate at 73.5%. Perhaps the time has come to break away from the pattern and simplify things.
There have been other problems beyond the scheme. The Chargers have allowed pressure on 45.5% of Herbert’s dropbacks, the second-highest rate in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. Their pass catchers have also struggled with drops and communication, while the team has committed 15 penalties for 109 yards and seven fumbles through two games.
In Week 2, the Chargers offense recorded six fumbles, including one late in the game when they had a chance to lead the matchup. More alarmingly, all this has happened before the team enters the tougher part of the schedule.
How is the McDaniel offense going to compete against the Buffalo Bills, Seattle’s “darkside” defense, and the Kansas City Chiefs (twice)?
McDaniel has also acknowledged that the Chargers’ offense has not performed at the level he expected through the opening two games, admitting that it is “below our expectations and below a lot of people’s expectations as well.”
McDaniel, however, has continued to speak positively about his work with Herbert despite the offense struggling to get going. He said the two have spent the past two weeks going through film and talking through the offense.
“A lot of tape and conversation … I’m much closer to him than I was two weeks ago. One of my greatest coaching privileges I’ve had is to coach him.”
McDaniel has also defended Herbert’s approach and work ethic, pointing to the quarterback’s constant effort to improve rather than placing the blame on him.
“There’s no rest in Justin Herbert. He’s constantly working on his game. That’s just the way he lives and breathes.”
Herbert also pushed back on questions about the Chargers’ leadership after their start. Asked about the need for more vocal leadership in the locker room, he said the team already has it and that there was no reason for players to panic.
“I think I’m going to stop you right there and say that it’s very present. We’ve got great leadership on this team. I trust those guys in that locker room, and so I don’t think anyone is panicked or worried, because that’s not going to do us any good.
“It’s about the next game and understanding we have a job to do. My job is to be the best leader and quarterback I can be for this team.”
That leaves McDaniel with a clear challenge in Week 3. The Chargers need better protection, cleaner execution, and more production from Herbert and the running game. Whether those changes come quickly will shape how the new offense is viewed after its difficult opening two weeks.