The Morning-After Thunder: Trouble in LA Sinks Chargers, Bigger Problems Brewing

The Chargers dropped to 0-2 while being hit with injuries while mistakes still plagued the offense. See a few positive notes and the daunting task ahead.

Sep 20, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is pressured by Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce (51) during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Los Angeles Chargers dropped to 0-2 at the hands of their division rivals from Las Vegas. The loss underscored more problems for Los Angeles as they leave week two hampered by injuries, searching for an identity and questioning themselves.

Last week, after the loss to the Cardinals, I plainly stated that it was time to panic for the Chargers. There was pushback and negative feedback to that perspective. Normally, a Week 1 loss would be just that, but the manner in which the Chargers lost to the Cardinals made it appear the team was not ready to play and had no time to fix it before facing the Raiders.

The Chargers still looked unprepared to play when they faced off against the Raiders. They fixed some of the issues that plagued them in week one, most notably the special teams units that were searching for answers, mainly on kick return. Special teams coordinator appeared to bench Derius Davis after a poor return and he swapped in running back Kimani Vidal and the results were significantly improved.

The defense came out much better, not perfect but better than they showed in week one. The middle of the field was still open for Kirk Cousins as the linebackers appeared to struggle to drop to correct zones and find routes behind them. The run defense kept Ashton Jeanty in check and forcing him to finish the day with only 2.3 yards per attempt and a staggering 2.57 yards after contact per attempt, indicating he was being hit behind the line of scrimmage nearly every snap.

The offense is the most concerning aspect of the Chargers. Again, for the second straight week, they showed flashes of what they are capable of but nothing about the operation looked smooth. Quarterback Justin Herbert is visibly frustrated on the field with the errors, pre-snap alignment issues, timing issues and mental errors across the board. Herbert himself does not look comfortable in the offense, he appears to be thinking, not playing.

Does Mike McDaniel need to slow down the offense and focus on more simple plays to gain comfort and mastery before opening up the complexities of the offense? He needs to try something else, the too many players look lost, unsure of timing and spacing. Right tackle Joe Alt was penalized five times against the Raiders, the offense had six fumbles on the day and the entire team is thinking too much. Harbaugh is clearly correct that the starters should have played more than the ten or so snaps they all had in the preseason.

The Chargers are now 0-2 and facing the Buffalo Bills in week three with the Seattle Seahawks waiting on deck. The Chargers do not have any time to rebound and figure things out, they will be all but eliminated from the playoffs within weeks if they can't manage a miraculous turn around.

Unfortunately, the weight of the errors is proving heavy on the shoulders of the players. Defensive leader and man of careful words, Khalil Mack said after the game that he blanked out with his mind still on the game when he was asked a question about Harbaugh's message to the team. It may be unfair to read between the lines, but as it stands, that is not an ideal message coming out of the locker room.

Q to Khalil Mack: What was the message from Jim Harbaugh?

"Honestly, I blanked out the whole time. I don't really know. My mind was on the game still, but I feel like it had something to do with picking up the pieces and getting this thing right."

Said he's "pissed" but…

— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) September 21, 2026

The Chargers had an offseason of hope and excitement. It seems as if the lack of moves to shore up the offensive line and the eventual season-ending injury to Tyler Biadasz sent the entire team through a depressive state and a funk they have yet to snap out of. The Chargers manhandled the Houston Texans in the first week of the preseason, lost Biadasz a few days later and have not looked confident since.

The vibes out of Los Angeles are terrible. The offense has not found any rhythm and playmakers outside of Ladd McConkey have been non-existent. Los Angeles also saw their top two tight ends Charlie Kolar and David Njoku as well as their starting left guard Kayode Awosika leave the game with injuries and not return. The Chargers will have to find a way out of the darkness when they head to Buffalo if they want to be competitive at all this season.