The Chargers’ 0-2 start has put Jim Harbaugh in an uncomfortable spot fast.
After Sunday’s 26-14 loss to the Raiders, Los Angeles is staring at an early-season mess that doesn’t look anything like an AFC contender. The defeats have come against the Cardinals and Raiders, two teams that did not make the playoffs last season and aren’t expected to be major threats in 2026. Instead, both have handled Harbaugh’s team with relative ease.
Harbaugh is only in his third season with the Chargers, so this is nowhere near the point where a firing would be realistic. But if this keeps going the wrong way, the conversation around him could get loud sooner than anyone in Los Angeles wants.
The defense has been the clearest problem so far. Arizona opened the season by beating the Chargers 26-14 behind Jacoby Brissett, a bridge quarterback, and a defense without much star power. Then the Raiders followed suit, with Kirk Cousins throwing three touchdown passes in another game that made the Chargers look soft on that side of the ball.
Through two games, Los Angeles has given up 52 points, 530 passing yards and 10 third-down conversions.
That’s the kind of stat line that gets attention in a hurry, especially when the quarterbacks doing the damage are not supposed to be the guys lighting up the league in 2026. Brissett and Cousins both looked comfortable against the Chargers, and that’s a problem Harbaugh can’t ignore.
The offense has been just as messy. Justin Herbert threw his second and third interceptions of the season against Las Vegas, and turnovers have become a major issue. The Chargers also had six fumbles as a team, although only one ended up being lost to the Raiders.
The receiver situation hasn’t helped. In Week 1, Ladd McConkey led the group with 82 yards and a touchdown. With McConkey dealing with an injury in Week 2, he was limited to 35 yards, while Tre Harris’ lone catch for 53 yards paced the team.
Not everything lands on Harbaugh, and there has been some bad luck mixed in with the poor play. But the overall picture is ugly enough to raise questions. The Chargers have looked unprepared, and that stands out even more after consecutive early playoff losses in 2024 and 2025.
And the road ahead does them no favors.
After dropping two games to teams that missed the 2025 playoffs, Los Angeles now enters a brutal stretch with seven straight games against playoff teams from last season, starting with a Week 3 road trip to face Josh Allen and the Bills.
Here’s what’s next for the Chargers:
Sept. 27 at Bills, 1 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Seahawks, 4:25 p.m.
Oct. 11 vs. Broncos, 4:05 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Chiefs, 4:25 p.m.
Nov. 1 at Rams, 4:05 p.m.
Nov. 8 vs. Texans, 4:05 p.m.
Nov. 16 at Ravens, 8:15 p.m.
Nov. 22 vs.
Jets, 4:05 p.m.
Nov. 29 vs.
Patriots, 8:20 p.m.
Dec. 6 at Buccaneers, 1 p.m.
Dec. 13 at Raiders, 4:05 p.m.
Dec. 17 vs. 49ers, 8:15 p.m.
Dec. 27 at Dolphins, 1 p.m.
TBD vs.
Chiefs TBD
TBD vs.
Broncos TBD
In Other News...
Todd Monken Sends Clear Message After Browns Silence Early Doubts
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Monken did not dispute that the Browns were poor in the opener, but he pushed back on the idea that it should become the team's identity. His message was simple enough: the only real way to change the public view is to play better, and the Browns have already shown they are trying to do exactly that. Tomlin later answered with a little humor of his own, adding another layer to a storyline that has quickly moved beyond one bad Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
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Todd Monken has been quick to praise both players for the way they have contributed through the first two games, and it is easy to see why the Browns are paying attention. For a team trying to build stability at the line of scrimmage, getting reliable play from two rookies this early matters, especially when one arrived with first-round expectations and the other had to seize an opportunity the hard way. If this level of play holds, Cleveland may have uncovered a lot more than just a promising spot start. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Rookie Is Forcing A Bigger Question About Clevelands Passing Game
Denzel Boston has quickly given the Browns something they have been searching for at receiver: a young target who can win with size, strength and a steady physical edge. In his first two games, he has already topped 50 receiving yards and found the end zone once, production that fits the kind of role Todd Monken once helped carve out for Mike Evans in Tampa Bay.
The comparison matters because Cleveland still has bigger questions at quarterback and in the broader passing game, but Boston is making it harder to treat the receiver room as a secondary issue. If he keeps showing he can be a consistent, high-end pass catcher early in his career, the Browns may have to think more seriously about how much more is possible through the air, regardless of who is delivering the ball. [Read more 🡒]