Chargers’ Mike McDaniel on poor offensive showing in Week 1 loss: ‘Kind of shocking’

Throughout training camp, the Los Angeles Chargers' social-media team couldn't post enough footage of new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel interacting with head coach Jim Harbaugh.

If only that type of access could have been available this week following the Chargers' disappointing Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, 26-14, despite entering as the weekend's heaviest favorites, according to oddsmakers.

Speaking Thursday for the first time since the loss, McDaniel called the performance – in which the Chargers mustered 268 total yards – "shocking."

"It was kind of shocking in its own right," McDaniel told reporters.

McDaniel explained that the surprise was that the product throughout the offseason and training camp never resembled what the Chargers executed. Aside from late rushing yards by Justin Herbert, the run game was virtually nonexistent, with running backs Omarion Hampton and Keaton Mitchell rushing for a combined 52 yards on 16 carries.

"You have a lot of visions coming to a new team and working on something for months, and the vision never looked like that," McDaniel added.

After four seasons as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, McDaniel was fired in January. He immediately became one of the most-coveted play callers on the market…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/