Biggest Decision Mike McDaniel Got Wrong Against Seahawks and it Needs to Stop

The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-4 and to say their 2026 season is barely on life support would be an understatement. For any chance to make the postseason, the Chargers need to go at minimum 10-3 over the next thirteen games. The team's struggles have been a major source of confusion, specifically for a Jim Harbaugh-led football team.

Procedural penalties, ball security and special teams gaffes have haunted the Chargers at every turn. But, the biggest and most shocking aspect of LA's struggles is that of the offense. The gameplan against the Seahawks did not lean into bread and butter simple offense, it maintained a level of complexity that has yielded rough results.

This past offseason, the NFL world was on the Chargers hype train. The pairing of franchise quarterback Justin Herbert and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel was viewed as a dream scenario. Upon McDaniel's arrival in Los Angeles, McDaniel and Herbert began tweaking some of his footwork and mechanics to emphasize the quick game. The idea at the time was to be able to get the ball out quickly to reduce the pass rush on Hebert in the same way Tom Brady had limited the Chargers pass rush with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram over the years.

The idea to change up Herbert sounded like a good idea at the time and most of the NFL world bought in. The results have been awful and the exact opposite of massive expectations. Herbert may look uncomfortable in the offense and appears to be thinking too much, but the rest of the offense looks to be on similar shaky ground.

The Chargers, through four games, have been penalized a league high 14 times for false starts. The entire offense is struggling with the snap count in the midst of all the other complexities of the offense.

The biggest example of this came when wide receiver Tre' Harris was flagged for a false start because he did not know he was supposed to go in motion. Herbert signaled for the motion and Harris looked at him confused and eventually he started a motion but the ball was snapped resulting in the false start.

Procedural errors cost the Chargers offense yards but most importantly they cost rhythm. The Chargers have been struggling to move the ball with any consistency and seem to shoot themselves in the foot far too often.

Mike McDaniel continues to call incredibly complex designer plays and they rarely appear to work. The design in itself could work, but the offense is struggling with basic protections and the snap count, expecting them to be able to block up a play with so many moving parts is an unrealistic demand at this point in time.

The design of this jet sweep is just too much. Seattle gets five guys behind the LOS. LB Drake Thomas flies right by Keaton Mitchell untouched. QJ ends up stiff arming him into the earth but the damage is done and he had no where to go. pic.twitter.com/vkEL4F8zf1
— Thomas Martinez (@BoltsDraftTalk) October 7, 2026

McDaniel has been at the helm of elite offenses before but the Chargers are struggling to grasp the complexity of his offense. The mistake of the game and gameplan was just much complexity. A Philly special at the goal line down multiple scores should not be in the arsenal. McDaniel boasted about being able to adjust to players and highlight their strengths, but can he adjust his play calling for the unit to thrive.

Have yet to see any adaptations from him https://t.co/dbOThe44xT
— Mike 🎱 (@cbfwmike) September 30, 2026

The Chargers may have to start three or four rookies on the offensive line against the Denver Broncos this Sunday. There should be zero expectation that that unit will be able handle the Broncos defensive front and significantly complex protections and trick plays.

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