It's safe to say that the 2026 NFL season has not gotten off to a terrific start for the Los Angeles Chargers, as they look lifeless at the bottom of the AFC West. Their 0-2 record is the least of their problems, but it's a big one nonetheless, and the cavalry isn't coming. They have to save themselves.
Luckily, this team can still turn things around. Sure, the odds of making the playoffs drop dramatically when you lose the first two, but they aren't zero, and no one is mathematically eliminated. Jim Harbaugh's team can get hot at any point, and one mustn't play its best football early in the year.
And in an attempt to maintain a semblance of positivity in September, I will tell you that there are still reasons to believe in this team and to not overreact to a dismal start. That said, one big reason still exists to panic about the prospects of the Chargers, even before the calendar flips to October.
3 reasons not to panic about Los Angeles Chargers' brutal 0-2 start
Defense showed improvement in Week 2
Chris O'Leary was not up to the task on opening weekend against an Arizona Cardinals team that had no business putting up 26 points on the Chargers. But even though the point total was the same, the product on the field for the defense was much better in Week 2.
Los Angeles actually got after the quarterback on Sunday, stopped the run well, got an interception and made some plays on the ball. The Chargers' offense put them in bad spots with turnovers, but the defense looked much better against a surprisingly competent Las Vegas Raiders offense.
Rookie class is trending in the right direction
After a rough Week 1 for the youngsters, everyone seemed to improve in Week 2. Jake Slaughter did much better in the center of the offensive line, Brenen Thompson made a catch, Akheem Mesidor got home for a sack, and Nick Barrett made some plays on the interior.
Genesis Smith had a rough go at safety, but other than him, the Chargers' first-year players either didn't get in the game or played well when they were out there. If these players can keep growing, then this team could have reinforcements down the stretch of the season.
Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert have dug themselves out of holes before
In Harbaugh and Herbert's first year together, they started 2-0 before losing three of their next four, and then climbed to 7-3 before dropping to 8-6. Last season, the team went 3-0 before dropping to 4-3. Bad stretches have been a part of the experience with these two; they just typically come later.
While being winless feels devastating, this team is still talented enough and led by coaches and players with a strong enough pedigree to believe that they can turn it around. After all, this pairing has gone 11-6 for two straight years in spite of these tough stretches.
1 reason to worry about the Chargers' tough 0-2 start to 2026 NFL season
The road ahead is not any easier
A look ahead at the Chargers' schedule serves as a brutal reminder that this was supposed to be the easy part. Home games against the Cardinals and Raiders are about as easy a draw on paper as it gets to begin the year, and Los Angeles squandered a chance at two wins. Here are their next few games:
@ Bills
@ Seahawks
vs Broncos
@ Chiefs
@ Rams
vs Texans
@ Ravens
Five out of seven on the road is tough. But playing five playoff teams in seven games is even tougher, especially when the two non-playoff teams are the Chiefs, who appear to be back, and the Ravens, who are never an easy foe. This will be a hellish stretch, and wins will be tough to come by.
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