A Realistic Scenario and Path for the Los Angeles Chargers to Save Their Season

The Los Angeles Chargers have started their season 0-4 and have looked lost on offense as they try to find their identity. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has been grappling with the team's struggles with the many moving parts of his offense. The 1992 Chargers started 0-4 and made the playoffs that season, the 2026 Chargers will look to follow the same path.

Los Angeles entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations and playoff expectations, to say the season has been a shocking disappointment thus far is a deep understatement. The Chargers defense has been performing well and showing up on game day, specifically in the past two weeks. The offense finally showed signs of life and fight in the second half of their week four loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The Chargers enter week five at a crossroads. They could have easily folded against the Seahawks when Sam Darnold and Seattle's offense marched down the field to open the second half and go up 27-6. Instead, Justin Herbert and the Chargers, aided by penalties from Seattle, fought and clawed their way back into the game. The run game started landing heavy punches and Herbert seemed to lean on scrambling to make plays.

Chargers fans have seen what happens when the team is out of breath and gives up. It led to the dismissal of the previous coaching staff and general manager following a loss on Thursday night football to the Las Vegas Raiders. LA welcomes the Denver Broncos to SoFi Stadium in week five and with their massive list of injuries they will have a choice to make, come out swinging with everything they have like their season depends on it, or fold.

If Justin Herbert and the makeshift offensive line manage to take down the Denver Broncos and show they are not ready to lie down and die just yet, there is a realistic path forward for them to save their season and even potentially make the playoffs. Obviously, time is not on their side but lets take a look at the landscape across the AFC.

Where the AFC stands

The Chargers find themselves in a tough spot but entering week five, there are five teams remaining in the NFL that are winless, four of them are in the AFC. The Chargers have three of the winless teams on their upcoming schedule and additionally will face the New York Jets who have only one win on the season.

Los Angeles has lost to three good teams so far to start this season but what once looked like a schedule of doom, has now become more manageable if they can figure out their offense. The Chargers face the Broncos in week five and the Chiefs in week six before their bye in week seven. The bye couldn't come at a better time given their injuries but it is also an opportunity to regroup before the final stretch of ten games.

In the Chargers final ten games they will face the currently winless Texans, Buccaneers and Dolphins. The Jets and Patriots are both struggling with their own issues as well as being AFC opponents. If Los Angeles can get their first win of the 2026 season against Denver, who are struggling on offense themselves, it could be the beginning of a turnaround for Los Angeles.

The Broncos are taking a more collaborative play-calling approach this week with HC Sean Payton having an increased role in the process and OC Davis Webb continuing with a significant game-planning and game-day role, per sources. Denver is looking to spark its offense ahead of… pic.twitter.com/6y2jHZTaYn
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 8, 2026

The Week 5 battle will truly be a battle of who can manage their injuries the best. The Broncos will be without wide receiver Pat Bryant as well as top cornerback Pat Surtain II and most likely number two cornerback Riley Moss will be out as well.

We asked @AdamSchefter for an injury update on Pat Surtain, Riley Moss, and Pat Bryant.

"I don't expect any of them to play this week.

My guess is we'll see certainly Surtain [on IR], quite possibly Bryant, and I would guess not Riley Moss." #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/qCgkJuS4oS
— 92.5 FM - Denver's Altitude Sports Radio (@AltitudeSR) October 6, 2026

Assuming the Chargers can snag their first win against the Broncos in week five and in theory take care of four out five of the perceived winnable games down the road, they would be searching for five more wins on the season.

The Chargers face the Chiefs two times as well as the Broncos and Raiders down the road. They will also face off against the Rams, Ravens and 49ers. Of those eight matchups, can Los Angeles sneak five wins to get to 10-7 on the season? It is possible if they manage to get back on track.

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