The Buffalo Bills may already have a pretty good idea of what the Los Angeles Chargers want to do Sunday in Orchard Park.
After two straight home losses, the Chargers arrive at 0-2 and in obvious need of a reset. They fell to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2, one week after opening the season with a loss to the Arizona Cardinals, and now they head across the country to face a Bills team that has looked sharp early. Buffalo is coming off a 41-31 win over the Detroit Lions in its new stadium, while the Chargers are still searching for any sign of traction.
One thing the Bills should be ready for: a heavy dose of Omarion Hampton.
Coming into the season, there was plenty of expectation that Hampton would become a central piece of the Chargers’ offense. Through two games, that has started to show.
He has scored in both contests, and against Arizona he handled 23 touches for 92 yards and a touchdown. ESPN’s Kris Rhim noted that Hampton’s 23 carries were a career high and said the offense "will lean on him this year."
" Trend to watch: Omarion Hampton had a career-high 23 carries for 92 yards and a touchdown. It was the first clear indication that the Chargers will lean on him this season.
McDaniel has said previously that he would split the workload between the three backs: Hampton, Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal. But through the first two games, it has been clear that this is Hampton's backfield." said Rhim.
That approach would make sense given the rest of the Chargers’ situation. Justin Herbert has not had much help from the wide receiver room beyond Ladd McConkey, and the pass protection has been uneven enough that leaning on Hampton could be the cleanest path for the offense.
Buffalo’s run defense has already shown both sides of the coin. In Week 1, the Texans ran for 124 yards and two touchdowns against the Bills. A week later, Buffalo held Detroit to just 66 rushing yards in its home opener, though that came with the Lions trailing early and unable to fully commit to the ground game.
So while the Bills’ defense is still sorting through some growing pains, they’ve done enough in both games to make life difficult. And with the Chargers coming off that Week 2 look, Buffalo has reason to think Hampton could be the centerpiece of the game plan. If the Chargers are going to have any chance of finding their footing, it may start with him.
In Other News...
Bills Just Lost Depth To A Rival And Now Face A Roster Decision
Andre Jones Jr. is heading down the division after the Miami Dolphins signed the linebacker off the Bills practice squad and onto their 53-man roster. For Buffalo, its another reminder that practice-squad development can quickly turn into a roster battle, especially for players who have already shown they can help on defense and special teams. Jones had been with the Bills for the last year and a half and appeared in three games this season, giving the team a depth piece with some familiarity in the system.
Now the Bills are left to sort out the open spot he created, and that move should come quickly as they continue managing the back end of the roster. Losing a player to a division rival does not usually alter the top of the depth chart, but it can matter when the season starts forcing teams to cycle through bodies, coverage help and game-day insurance. For Buffalo, the bigger question is less about Jones exit than about how swiftly the next call-up can be found. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Leonhard Sounds Alarm On A Bills Issue Fans Can't Ignore
Even with Buffalo off to a 2-0 start, Jim Leonhard is already sounding the familiar warning bells around a defense that has looked uneven through the first two games of the 2026 season. The Bills defensive coordinator described the unit as boom or bust, a blunt assessment that fits the way the group has flashed at times while still leaving too many openings on third downs and in the red zone.
Leonhard did point to some encouraging work, including Buffalos ability to limit Jahmyr Gibbs on the ground against Detroit, but the bigger concern is keeping the defense from swinging between dominant stretches and shaky ones. As the schedule gets tougher, the Bills know they will need more emotional stability and more consistent execution if they want the early wins to mean much later on. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Have Another Reason To Feel Better About Patriots Matchup
Josh Allens fast start has given the Bills plenty to feel good about through the opening stretch, and it goes beyond the unbeaten record. He has piled up 674 total yards and nine touchdowns without turning the ball over, the kind of clean, explosive play that keeps Buffalo in control of games and sets a high bar for what should come next. With the Chargers up in Week 3 and a Week 4 trip into a familiar AFC East matchup looming, the Bills are already looking like a team that can keep pressing its advantage.
One more reason Buffalo should like where it stands is the way New Englands rookie quarterback situation has looked so far. Drake Maye has shown the growing pains you would expect early in a season, with decision-making and turnovers becoming an issue even as the Patriots managed a win over the Steelers. The Bills know those division games can tighten up quickly, but right now the contrast at quarterback gives Buffalo a clearer path to feeling confident about what awaits when the Patriots arrive on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]