Well folks, the first game of the season is officially wrapped up, and it was a rough one.

The Los Angeles Chargers opened the season with a game that gave us a lot to talk about, especially when looking at who stepped up and who struggled.

Some performances immediately caught attention and showed signs of what could become a big part of this team throughout the season. Others didn’t quite live up to expectations and could leave those players looking for a much stronger showing in the weeks ahead.

After one game there is already plenty to evaluate, so here are the Chargers biggest winners and losers from Week one.

Winner: Ladd McConkey

Ladd McConkey was one of the biggest bright spots for the Chargers today, making an immediate impact whenever the offense needed a play. He hauled in five passes for 82 yards and found the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown, giving Justin Herbert a reliable target and helping keep the Chargers’ passing attack moving.

What makes McConkey’s performance stand out even more is that he put up those numbers despite leaving the game early with an undisclosed injury. His ability to consistently create separation and make plays down the field showed why he remains such an important piece of the Chargers’ offense. Even with his limited time on the field, McConkey made his presence felt and earned a spot among today’s winners.

Loser: Chris O'Leary's Defense

Chris O’Leary’s first regular-season game as the defensive play caller could have gone worse. However, Arizona repeatedly found ways to move the ball, while Los Angeles struggled to create the kind of pressure and disruption you would expect from a defense with this much talent. The unit looked out of sync for long stretches, putting the Bolts in a hole that their offense ultimately couldn’t overcome.

The biggest concern was the lack of adjustments as the game progressed. Arizona continued finding openings, and the Chargers defense never seemed to fully settle into a rhythm. O’Leary had the difficult task of replacing Jesse Minter, and just has to show in future games he has what it takes.

Winner: Omarion Hampton

Omarion Hampton had a pretty decent game. He recored 43 yards on 12 carries, and made it in the endzone as well.

The touchdown was very impressive, as he shrugged off multiple defenders to get in. It was a sign that much more is to come from the young running back. You can just tell how much potential he really has.

Loser: Justin Herbert

Justin Herbert never found the consistency the Chargers needed from their franchise quarterback. The numbers may look respectable at first glance, but just over 200 passing yards simply wasn’t enough to keep Los Angeles competitive. Arizona’s defense was able to keep the Chargers offense from sustaining momentum, and Herbert couldn’t generate enough big plays to change the direction of the game.

This was supposed to be the beginning of a new chapter for Herbert with Mike McDaniel running the offense, which made the lack of offensive production even more disappointing. The veteran quarterback even threw an interception while only recording one touchdown. Herbert’s inability to get the offense moving late left Los Angeles playing from behind for much of the afternoon. For a quarterback expected to lead this team deep into the postseason, this was a game where more was needed.

Winner: Special Teams

The Special teams had no major errors. I consider that a huge success. The unit had it's struggles in the preseason but showed much more today.

No big plays were made by the special teams, but nothing big went wrong on their end. They did what they needed to do and that's what matters when speaking about that side of the ball.

Loser: Mike McDaniel

Mike McDaniel has to take some of the blame for an offense that never looked comfortable against Arizona. His first game in charge was supposed to introduce Chargers fans to a completely different offensive identity, but the unit struggled to build momentum and spent too much of the afternoon searching for answers. When an offense has Justin Herbert at quarterback, finishing the day with so little production is going to put the spotlight directly on the play caller.

McDaniel also couldn’t find a way to consistently put his best players in positions to make an impact. The Bolts needed its offense to carry more of the load, especially with the defense struggling to contain. However the game never developed into the type of offensive performance the Chargers envisioned when they brought McDaniel in. One game doesn’t define his tenure, but as first impressions go this was a performance he’ll want to put behind him quickly.

Loser: Tight Ends

The Chargers tight end room was one of the biggest losers of today’s game. The position group struggled to consistently make an impact in the passing game, and there were too many missed opportunities when the offense needed someone to step up. For a unit expected to be a reliable part of the offense, the production simply wasn’t there.

It’s only one game, but the performance raises some questions about how much the Chargers can realistically get from this group moving forward. The talent may be there, but today showed that the tight ends need to become a much bigger factor if this offense is going to reach its full potential.