Most Important Revenge Games on Chargers' 2026 Schedule

The Chargers will be sporting a new look offense. They can take a step towards becoming true contenders with a handful of revenge game victories.

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The Los Angeles Chargers social media team is the best in the business and they successfully dropped the Chargers latest schedule release video with subtle jabs at their 2026 opponents. The Chargers also have several revenge games on their schedule, which the release video did playfully mention.

The Chargers are approaching a near make-or-break year as the franchise is heading into the third year of the Jim Harbaugh era with back-to-back wildcard round exits. The Chargers replaced former offensive coordinator Greg Roman with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel in an attempt to overcome the offensive struggles that doomed the team in both playoff matchups.

Los Angeles faced the Houston Texans in the 2024 playoffs and the New England Patriots in 2025. They will face both opponents in the upcoming 2026 season and their new offensive identity will be put to the test.

Why are both of these games important revenge games for the Chargers? Let's dig in.

Houston Texans

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The Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans have met multiple times over the past few years and for some reason the Texans just have the upper hand. The Chargers are 1-4 against the Texans going back to 2019, including the random 2021 loss caused by a Rex Burkhead legacy game.

The Texans, in the past few years under Demeco Ryans, have been a physical and bruising unit of a defense. The Chargers offensive line has struggled to contain the ferocious front seven of the Texans.

Mike McDaniel was hired to alleviate these troubles with the offensive line and offensive output altogether. The Chargers have this dark could in the shadow of the Houston Texans looming over them. If the Chargers are ready to take the next step and prove worthy as contenders, they have to meet the vaunted Texans defense and find a way to win.

New England Patriots

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The Chargers and Patriots have a long history stretching back to the 2007 AFC Championship that Philip Rivers, in legendary fashion, played on a torn ACL and a fresh knee scope. That game left Tom Brady in a walking boot post-game and may have been a major factor in the Patriots losing their perfect season.

The Patriots took down the Chargers in last season's wildcard round of the playoffs when the Chargers offense appeared lost and listless. With both teams looking to return to AFC contention, their rematch will be an important revenge game for the Chargers.

For the second season in a row the Chargers have made the playoffs only for their offense to be a lost shell of itself. If the Chargers want to announce they have arrived and ready to take that step towards contention with Mike McDaniel, they play the Patriots on Thanksgiving weekend in the Sunday night window.