It took one season under Jim Harbaugh for the Chargers to concoct a formidable identity.

It took one playoff game for them to seemingly lose it.

Los Angeles, which entered Wild Card Weekend rightfully known for its suffocating defense, hard-nosed rushing attack and penchant for protecting the ball, exhibited none of those traits in Saturday’s 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans — a defeat marred most surprisingly by quarterback Justin Herbert‘s four interceptions.

“I let the team down,” Herbert said postgame. “You can’t turn over the ball like that and expect to win.

“Put the team into a tough position there with four turnovers like that. The defense hung tough, they got some turnovers, they gave us opportunities, but I just have to be better.”

While Herbert did not wow with his numbers this season as much as years past due to the Chargers’ more conservative offensive approach, he was undeniably superb in leading Los Angeles back to the playoffs following the previous campaign’s 5-12 debacle.

He finished the regular season with 3,870 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and three interceptions, leading to a league-best 0.6 INT percentage.

He exceeded his season-long interception total with four picks against the Texans; counting just his final four possessions, he would’ve tied it.

It was a remarkable meltdown that began right as the Chargers seemed primed to put Houston in a stranglehold.