Swanson: First impression of the Chargers’ offense – it looks formidable

EL SEGUNDO — Sometimes you only need a small sample to buy in.

When you’d be out grocery shopping, say, and someone would offer you a chocolate baton wafer. Or a pineapple meatball. Or a sip of smoothie. Or, even better, a delectable victory over the defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Yeah, cooking up a win against the NFL’s it team for the first time in eight tries is a way to make people want to come back for more. Give folks a taste of a team capable of dissecting a top defense, all systems go, for a type of tantalizing 27-21 victory. That will promote belief in your team entering Week 2 of Year 2 under head coach Jim Harbaugh and his offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

Maybe you weren’t initially sold on Roman joining forces with Justin Herbert last season. Especially considering Roman’s 30-year reputation for running the ball when what we all really want to see was the Bolts’ Marvel-armed quarterback air it out.

But the fact that the Chargers are running it back with Roman at offensive coordinator is already a win, considering how the franchise shuffled through four offensive coordinators in Herbert’s first five seasons – on top of the three OCs Herbert had in his four years at Oregon.

“Having a second year in the offense is only going to help us,” Herbert said after Wednesday’s practice, five days removed from having thrown for 318 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions against the Chiefs.

Roman even visited Herbert at home in Oregon in the offseason, when the QB and his coordinator reportedly talked about turning Herbert into one of those quarterbacks who can more often extend plays or making some with his feet – a concept of which we saw some convincing proof Friday.

“I’ve said it before, really understanding what Coach Roman wants when he calls a specific play, I think him and I have done a great job communicating and talking trough each play, and exactly how he sees everything ran,” said Herbert, the sixth-year signal caller. “We’re on the same page.”

It might be way too early to make bold declarations, but if a showcase victory against the Chiefs as your opening act is a hint, this season could prove a real page-turner.

Because, on paper, we knew the Chargers added at least one new starter to every offensive position group, that they filled a healthy Herbert’s quiver so that he has targets aplenty.

We knew that was a departure from a season ago, when it was Ladd McConkey or bust, the rookie receiver debuting with 1,149 receiving yards, 82 catches and seven touchdowns while none of his receiving colleagues eclipsed even 750 yards receiving.

But on the field Friday, it looked like we were reading the signs correctly, like it could be a different story in 2025. That the Chargers team that finished a respectable 11-6 last season before being dusted, 32-12, in a wild-card playoff loss to the Houston Texans can be much more formidable offensively.

McConkey is part of a much deeper ensemble now, working alongside rookie pass-catching additions Tre’ Harris, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, tight ends Tyler Conklin, Will Dissly, rookie running back Omarion Hampton and, of course, returning Charger Keenan Allen.

The 33-year-old Allen, who played Friday like he was never gone, got right back on the same page with Herbert. Allen led the Chargers to the tune of 10 targets and seven catches, six of them resulting in first downs and three coming on crucial third downs.

It was an exemplary exhibition of football – of America’s version of the beautiful team game – before an enthusiastic crowd in São Paulo, Brazil. “Appreciation and love to everyone in Brazil that we ran into,” Roman said this week. “It was a first-class trip all the way.”

It was also a first-class game by Herbert; he was poised, he was clutch – by land and through the air. He connected on 25 of his 34 passing attempts and also ran for 32 yards, including a 19-yard scramble in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory.

And Roman delivered the game plan, utilizing four-wide receiver sets and going heavy on play action, drawing up some nifty passing plays gave Herbert wide-open throws deep. The quarterback sounded like loved his first bite of Season 2 of Herbert and Roman Show: “I thought he did a fantastic job.”

The offensive line also stood tall and gave Herbert time to work – especially second-year star Joe Alt, who allowed zero pressures on 41 pass-blocking snaps.

“Everybody was into it,” Roman said. “Everybody was making plays, everyone was having fun.”

“We did what we wanted to,” Herbert concurred. “It was great to see from the receivers, and the offensive line did a great job blocking all day … It was all of us.”

Sometimes, the cliché is true – it is a team effort.

But also: It’s one game at a time. And the one game the Chargers care about now is Monday’s against Pete Carroll and his Las Vegas Raiders, when we’ll learn whether this appetizing first impression can last.