The Buffalo Bills are 2-0 and rolling on offense. The Los Angeles Chargers arrive at 0-2 and trying to piece things together on that side of the ball. That’s the backdrop for Sunday’s matchup, and it’s hard to ignore how different these teams have looked through the first two weeks of the 2026 NFL season.
Los Angeles is also walking into the game beat up. The Chargers are down six players this weekend, and that doesn’t include tight end David Njoku, who is already on injured reserve.
With a tough stretch of games coming up, the urgency is obvious. The Bills’ job is to make sure a desperate team doesn’t steal one on their field.
A lot of that starts with Justin Herbert. Through two games, the Chargers quarterback has completed just 59% of his throws, with two touchdown passes, three interceptions and six sacks.
A new offensive coordinator in Mike McDaniel may be part of the growing pains, but the offensive line hasn’t helped either. Buffalo has a chance to make life miserable if it can keep getting pressure with four rushers.
The Chargers may need McDaniel to lean on quick throws early, especially if Buffalo’s secondary keeps missing tackles and busting coverages the way it has at times. If Herbert is forced to hold the ball and the Bills keep the run game in check, that’s a strong formula for Buffalo.
The other name to circle is Ladd McConkey. He’s been the Chargers’ most reliable receiver so far, with eight catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.
That comes after a rookie season in which he put up 82 catches for 1,149 yards and seven scores, then a second year that was slowed by nagging injuries. McConkey is tough to pin down because he can line up all over the formation and win with route running.
Buffalo has tried using Christian Benford on opposing No. 1 wideouts, but that hasn’t produced much success. Dee Alford has also been inconsistent in the slot, which could open the door for McConkey to create problems.
Maxwell Hairston looks like the best Bills answer on paper, with Benford handling Quentin Johnson outside, but Buffalo has to take McConkey away one way or another because he’s Herbert’s best option.
Up front, the Chargers are in rough shape. Tyler Biadasz is on injured reserve, while Trey Pipkins III and Kayode Awosika are out.
That has gutted the interior of the line and put extra pressure on Herbert while also making it harder to spring Omarion Hampton in the run game. Buffalo’s front has been sharp, with Greg Rousseau and Bradleey Chubb combining for 5.5 sacks, and nose tackle Deone Walker has been especially impressive.
If Ed Oliver is able to play, that only makes the middle of the line harder to survive. The Bills have a clear edge there, and they should try to use it.
One of the more interesting Chargers to watch is Del’Shawn Phillips. His path to this point has been a long one.
He signed with the Atlanta Falcons as a rookie free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft, then bounced to Buffalo’s practice squad without appearing in a game that year. He stuck around on reserve/futures deals, spent time on the practice squad again, and eventually made his NFL debut on special teams in 2020.
After stops with the New York Jets in 2021, the Baltimore Ravens in 2022 and 2023, and the Houston Texans in 2024, he has carved out a role in Los Angeles. Last season, he was Second-Team All-Pro on special teams and led the league with 24 tackles in the third phase.
This year, he already has 13 total tackles and has started both games.
Tarheeb Still is another Charger who could get tested. Buffalo’s passing game is dealing with some injury issues of its own, so this matchup carries a little extra weight.
Derwin James is likely to spend time on Dalton Kincaid, which could leave Still with plenty of Khalil Shakir. Shakir has caught seven passes for 88 yards on 12 targets and remains one of Josh Allen’s favorite targets.
If DJ Moore (shoulder) and Keon Coleman (ankle) both play, they may be limited. If either sits, Shakir becomes even more important.
Either way, this looks like a matchup Buffalo should like.
In Other News...
Bills Could Have A Real Edge If Marvin Harrison Jr. Talks Heat Up
The buzz around Marvin Harrison Jr. is exactly the kind of long-shot speculation that tends to follow a team looking for another jolt on offense, and Buffalo has a small but interesting connection that makes the idea linger a little longer than usual. The Bills new receivers coach, Drew Terrell, and special teams coach, Jeff Rodgers, both spent time coaching in Arizona, giving them some familiarity with Harrison and, at minimum, a better sense of what kind of player he is and how he might fit.
Still, there has been nothing from the Bills or from NFL insiders to suggest a trade is actually in motion, which is why this remains more curiosity than something concrete. Even so, the presence of coaches who know the Cardinals side of the equation adds an extra layer to any discussion, because when a player of Harrisons profile comes up, teams are always looking for edges, and Buffalo may have one tucked into its new staff. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Is Chasing Rare NFL History Against The Chargers
Josh Allen has opened the season looking every bit like the centerpiece of Buffalos offense, piling up big numbers through the air and on the ground while keeping the Bills moving with the kind of dual-threat balance that makes game plans miserable for defenses. His early work has also been a showcase for the rushing attack around him, with James Cook helping give Buffalo another layer of stress for opponents to handle.
The next test comes against the Chargers, and it carries a little extra history with it. Allen has a chance to join a very small NFL club by rushing for two touchdowns in his first three games, a mark only a handful of players have ever reached. For Buffalo, it is another reminder that the Bills are not just leaning on Allen to distribute the ball, they are counting on him to keep turning broken plays and designed runs into the kind of edge that can swing a game. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Playmakers May Have To Carry More Than Expected Vs Chargers
The Bills head into their meeting with the Chargers with a familiar sort of pressure on the offense, because the margin for error looks thinner than usual. Khalil Shakir and Joshua Palmer are among the key names to watch, and Buffalo may need both of them to do more than just fill roles if the passing game is going to keep pace with what Los Angeles can bring.
On the other side of the ball, the Bills also have some defensive questions to sort through, with DeWayne Carter and Christian Benford among the players whose availability and recent form matter as the matchup approaches. Add in the teams records and the way both offenses have been trending, and this game shapes up as one where Buffalos most reliable playmakers could end up carrying an even bigger load than planned. [Read more 🡒]