Five Key Matchups Bills Must Exploit to Avoid Letdown vs. Chargers

Los Angeles may be 0-2 to start the season, but there are still areas that the Bills must fully take advantage of in order to avoid any sort of letdown in Week 3 at Highmark Stadium.

Dec 23, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17) throws a 57-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Saying that the Los Angeles Chargers are banged up heading into their Week 3 matchup against the Buffalo Bills would be an understatement.

With 14 players listed on Wednesday’s injury report, which included some pretty prominent names on Los Angeles’ roster, the Chargers will seemingly be playing Buffalo with one hand tied behind their back on Sunday at Highmark Stadium, so to speak.

Bills’ first-year head coach Joe Brady and his staff know this—nobody is naive—and they’re not about to let this golden opportunity slip away.

The phrase “trap game” apparently isn’t in the dictionary of acceptable vernacular for the players within Buffalo’s locker room this season.

Brady not taking next opponent lightly

Sep. 17, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' head coach Joe Brady looks on during the first half against the Detroit Lions at Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“There’s ‘smoke detectors’ all across our football team right now that we’ve got to clean up, and we’ve got to find improvement from Week 2 to Week 3, right? I think a lot of it has to do with us just trusting our techniques, trusting the scheme(s),” Bills’ rookie head coach Joe Brady said Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s the NFL—it’s every team, every single week—you’re going to have to be at your best (level of) football. And, you know, we’re going to get their best, as we should, right? They’ve got a great roster, great coaching staff, (and) Coach Harbaugh will have his guys ready to go. 

“It’s my job to make sure that my guys are ready to just do their job and not have to do anything more, nothing less.”

When the AFC-East powerhouse steps onto the field this weekend for its second AFC tilt of the first three weeks, there won’t be any sense of entitlement, at least not if Brady has his way.

The team will be full steam ahead in its efforts to capture a third-straight victory against the Chargers with a critical divisional matchup on the horizon next Sunday when the New England Patriots come to Orchard Park.

Sep. 16, 2018; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs the ball while trying to avoid a tackle during the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers. | USA TODAY Sports

On the flip side, depleted by injury or not, Los Angeles will be looking to finally get off the schneid after starting 0-2 under head coach Jim Harbaugh.

It’s the same record that the Chargers started with in 2023 under former head coach Brandon Staley, whom Harbaugh replaced the following year.

The AFC-West squad will undoubtedly be motivated regardless of who’s available when game time rolls around.

So, here are five crucial matchups that Buffalo must exploit in order to head into that next game against New England still unscathed.

1. Bills’ interior DL vs. Chargers’ interior OL

Nov. 29, 2020; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Los Angeles Chargers' quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes the ball as Buffalo Bills' defensive tackle Ed Oliver (91) pressures him during the third quarter of a past NFL game. | USA TODAY Sports

Through two weeks, Buffalo has received plenty of pleasant contributions from some of its players along the interior of the defensive line.

Second-year defender Deone Walker has led the way in terms of the pass rush, but fellow interior defensive lineman DeWayne Carter has quietly been dominating against the opposition’s rushing attack.

Bills ON SI has covered both players’ performances extensively this week.

Sep. 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills' defensive lineman Deone Walker (96) tackles Houston Texans' running back Woody Marks (4) during the first half at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Considering Los Angeles will be missing starting left guard Kayode Awosika because of injury, who was actually already replacing Jake Slaughter due to him sliding over to center for the previously injured Tyler Biadasz, there’s clearly another giant opportunity awaiting both players this weekend. 

They’ll need to take advantage of the backup replacing Awosika, Trevor Penning, who isn’t even the preferred second option, as fellow swing offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III is also dealing with a knee ailment this week.

Needless to say, Walker, Carter, and the other players on Buffalo’s defensive front need to take full advantage on Sunday.

2. Bills’ secondary vs. Chargers’ WRs

Sep. 20, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers' wide receiver Ladd McConkey (15) catches a pass in front of Las Vegas Raiders' safety Jeremy Chinn (11) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Bills’ defense has been reeling a little bit through the first two weeks in a new system under Jim Leonhard, particularly in the secondary.

The unit allowed Houston Texans’ quarterback C.J. Stroud (274 passing yds, 2 TDs) and Detroit Lions’ quarterback Jared Goff (327 passing yds, 4 TDs) to both throw for at least 274 yards and two touchdowns in their first two matchups of the season, while failing to register a single interception.

In fact, the Bills are just one of nine teams that have yet to record a takeaway through the air.

That might change, however, given that Chargers’ quarterback Justin Herbert is currently tied for second in the NFL with three interceptions thrown.

Aug. 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills' starting slot cornerback Dee Alford (23) takes the field during a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One key matchup in particular that will be important to monitor is Buffalo’s slot cornerback Dee Alford versus Los Angeles’ shifty slot wideout Ladd McConkey.

McConkey is a tad banged up with a rib issue this week, as well, but he should be good to go for the game on Sunday. He leads the team in total targets (10), total receptions (8), touchdown catches (1) and total receiving yards (117), and it’ll be up to Alford—who is ranked 85th out of 96 qualifying cornerbacks for a pass-coverage grade of 44.9 according to Pro Football Focus through two weeks—to slow him down.

3. Bills’ TE Dalton Kincaid vs. Chargers’ LB/S groups

Sep. 17, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) runs with the ball after making a catch against the Detroit Lions during the first half at Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bills’ fourth-year starting tight end Dalton Kincaid is off to the hottest start of any tight end in the NFL this season. 

And, incredibly, his 225 receiving yards are the fifth most ever recorded by a tight end through the first two weeks of a season behind only Jared Cook (229 yds in 2018), Rich Caster (240 yds in 1972), Shannon Sharpe (247 yds in 1995), and Ben Coates (285 yds in 1994).

If Kincaid were to stay on this pace through a 17-game stretch, then his production (112.5 yds/game) would shatter the current record for most yards in a single season at the position, which was set by Kansas City Chiefs’ veteran playmaker Travis Kelce in 2020 when he posted 1,416 receiving yards. 

Through two games this season, the Los Angeles Chargers have surrendered 13 receptions for 129 yards and one touchdown to opposing tight ends, and that number has the chance to skyrocket even more this Sunday with Kincaid, especially considering the Chargers are dealing with injuries to defensive backs like Derwin James Jr., Elijah Molden, and Deane Leonard this week.

Don’t forget about Dawson Knox or Jackson Hawes, either. They’re both capable of causing damage to the second level of Los Angeles’ defense, too.

4. Bills’ interior OL vs. Chargers’ interior DL

Dec. 23, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Buffalo Bills interior offensive lineman Connor McGovern (66) reacts after quarterback Josh Allen (17) scores a touchdown during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Despite failing to register a victory through two games and allowing 698 total yards of offense to the opposition between their matchups against the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders, the Chargers actually boast a formidable run defense, at least so far.

Allowing just 173 yards on the ground on 63 rushing attempts for an average of 2.7 yards per carry, there hasn’t been much wiggle room to speak of for opposing running backs against Los Angeles.

However, much like the majority of their teammates, veteran interior defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson and outside linebacker Tuli Tuipuloto are both dealing with ailments of their own, so it’s possible that the Chargers will be more susceptible in the run game from Bills’ veteran James Cook and Co. this weekend.

It’ll be an interesting battle to watch in the trenches.

5. Bills’ OTs vs. Chargers’ veteran EDGE rusher Khalil Mack

Dec. 23, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers' outside linebacker Khalil Mack (52) rushes the passer against the Buffalo Bills in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

There aren’t too many bright spots that stick out for Los Angeles this year through two weeks, but former University at Buffalo standout EDGE defender Khalil Mack is still one of the best pass rushers in the league even though he’s in his 13th season.

Mack, who is now 35 years old, has registered 117 combined sacks in 187 career games (regular season/postseason), and he’s continued on his Hall-of-Fame pace thus far in 2026 as the wily veteran has totaled five tackles, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and one sack in 93 defensive snaps, which equates to an on-field percentage of 67%.

The 6-foot-3, 269-pound defender is a load to handle in spite of his age, and it’ll be up to offensive tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown to continue keeping Bills’ franchise quarterback Josh Allen upright in Week 3.

Dec. 23, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen (17) scrambles while Los Angeles Chargers' outside linebacker Khalil Mack (52) pressures him during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

So far, the two have taken the job of protecting their quarterback to heart this year, as Allen has only been taken down four times despite facing vaunted pass-rushers like Houston’s Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, as well as Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson.

Last season, those three players combined to make 41.5 sacks.

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