The Chargers' lack of offense is not a mirage of an ugly loss to Arizona

The Chargers licked their fingers and no one could blame them.

Los Angeles, a team under new coach Jim Harbaugh that was built to finish first, second and third, played the Arizona Cardinals, who boast a rushing defense that veers between terrible and disgusting.

But a Monday night game that went in the Chargers' favor ended in disaster in the desert. Instead of imposing their will and vaunted run attack on the hapless Cardinals, the Chargers had their wings clipped.

The final score of 17-15 tells part of the story: LA settled for five field goals from Cameron Dicker in a game in which quarterback Justin Herbert rushed for a season-high 349 yards and zero touchdowns.

When it became clear that the Chargers (3-3) were in quicksand, they asked Herbert to do something that Harbaugh preached was no longer possible. They placed the offense and the game on Herbert's broad shoulders and gave him permission to play hero ball.

It didn't work, nor did that “Hail Mary” plan that rarely succeeded and was eventually shown the door under the other NFL coaches Herbert played under: Brandon Staley and Anthony Lynn.

When Harbaugh burst into the Chargers' lobby and everyone announced his arrival, it quickly became clear how the former Michigan coach would assemble his roster.

He let his proven pass-catchers (Keenan Allen and Mike Williams) flee, he declined to replace them with a standout receiver with a first-round pick, opting instead for a right tackle (Joe Alt), and he stepped up Physicality of the backfield with the signing of free agents JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards.

Add it all up and that should result in a win against an Arizona defense that was eliminated by the Green Bay Packers for 179 rushing yards the previous week.

Numbers like these make the Chargers coaches smile like someone would say “cheese.” Instead, they left Arizona with the look on their faces of someone who had just smelled the pungent odor of a moldy Limburger.

One of the reasons Harbaugh was distraught in the final minutes of the game and afterward was because he felt there were two calls the Chargers didn't like. One was a pass interference or holding that wasn't called, and the other was an unnecessary roughness call.

What became clearer than these confused decisions is that if the Chargers can't run the ball, they're done.

In addition to shedding a handful of playmakers in the offseason, their current pass-catching core is banged up with Quentin Johnston (ankle), Derius Davis (hamstring) and DJ Chark Jr. (groin) inactive in Arizona.

Herbert did his part despite evading rushers almost every time he found the pocket. The fact that he threw for nearly 350 yards while completing 27 of 39 passes is a huge testament to him and how poorly this squad has been constructed and executed when he can only manage 60 yards on the ground.

Two things stand out: Herbert was sensational, despite poor pass protection and a running game that took place somewhere other than Arizona.

“In this league, the margin is razor thin,” Harbaugh told reporters, looking for a bright spot few saw. “We’re just a few plays away from scoring a lot of points.”

Or sending Herbert, already dealing with an ankle injury, to the hospital unless his blockers start blocking and his runners start running.

“I was always waiting for the running game to explode,” said Harbaugh, who is paid $16 million annually to make that happen. “But we didn’t make it.”

Every loss is bad in the NFL, but some reveal a team's flaws more than others. It was no secret that the Chargers favored the run this season and the passing game would be a second option.

Worryingly, the strategy wasn't good enough against a soft target that could have fueled a midseason run.

Beat the Cardinals and maybe the Chargers will win gold against their next three rivals, the New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans, and be in the playoff race.

Instead, it was the Cardinals' rushing game that overwhelmed the Chargers for 181 yards. And their defense kept the Chargers out of the end zone.

No offense, but until the Chargers find a way to penetrate the goal line, we could soon see a repeat of last year's 5-12 slump this season.