Chargers good, bad and ugly outlook after first month of season

The Los Angeles Chargers fired out of the gates to start Year 2 of the Jim Harbaugh era, taking down three AFC West opponents and forcing the national side to pay attention.

But it hasn’t been all good. So goes the reality of the NFL, where the week-to-week league creates a big swing in perception and results.

Over the course of the first month of the season, though, the positives say the Chargers are surefire contenders. The bad and ugly, though, if not properly addressed, could have the first month resembling a fluke before long.

The good

The Chargers are 3-0, and Justin Herbert has played at an MVP level when his line has even somewhat permitted him to do so. Harbaugh and Greg Roman have permitted it, too, suddenly going away from their reputation as run-first, old-school guys. That will balance out some as the season continues, but the shock value of letting Herbert be…Herbert got them to a 3-0 mark in the AFC West and they won’t see a divisional game again until the end of November in Week 13.

The bad

The schedule isn’t exactly easy. Washington and Jayden Daniels are a tricky open in Week 5. The 3-1 Colts are a problem in Week 7. Same for the 2-2 Vikings in Week 8. Pittsburgh is 3-1 ahead of the Week 10 matchup. And the “easy” games against teams like Miami and Tennessee before the Week 12 bye? Those are road games with 1 p.m. ET kickoff times, making them harder than they should be.

The ugly

The offensive line and the team’s refusal to admit or address it. Rashawn Slater is out for the season. Joe Alt is out for a week or two. Mekhi Becton could miss his second straight game. Bradley Bozeman and Zion Johnson, the ineffective starters on the inside from last year that the team refused to replace, continue to struggle. And now the poor depth across the board will keep getting tested in the worst way. We’ve already seen that Joe Hortiz and the front office won’t make a splash despite sitting on plenty of assets, too.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert — Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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