The Chargers have managed to land in a place nobody wants to be after just two weeks: a bizarre slice of NFL history that hasn’t been touched since 1926.
Los Angeles is 0-2 after dropping games to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders, and the second one was the kind of home loss that turns a bad start into a head-scratcher. Las Vegas walked into SoFi Stadium and beat Jim Harbaugh’s team 26-14, following Arizona’s Week 1 win over the Chargers and leaving L.A. with back-to-back double-digit defeats.
That alone would be rough. The part that really jumps off the page is the company the Chargers are keeping. They are the first team since 1926 to lose consecutive games by double digits at home against teams that had a sub-.200 winning percentage the season before.
The only other team on that list? The Racine Tornadoes.
If that name doesn’t ring a bell, there’s a reason. The Racine Tornadoes played only four seasons, and 1926 was their last one. Somehow, nearly a century later, the Chargers have matched a record set by a team that vanished from the league before most modern NFL history even began.
The early-season numbers have been ugly, too. Justin Herbert has thrown for two touchdowns and three interceptions through the first two games, and the defense has struggled badly after Jesse Minter left to take the head coach job with the Baltimore Ravens.
The schedule doesn’t offer much relief right away. The Chargers head to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, then turn around for another road game against the Seattle Seahawks.
In Other News...
Chargers Already Have A Worrying Akheem Mesidor Problem
The early-season picture for the Chargers has been complicated enough without a quiet start from the rookie they were counting on to help up front. Los Angeles has dealt with concerns along the offensive line and in its pass rush, and Akheem Mesidor was brought in to help fill the kind of rotational role that can keep a defense fresh and disruptive.
Instead, after Week 1, Mesidor has not given the Chargers the impact they were hoping for. His slow start has added to the pressure on a unit that needs more consistent edge production, and the coming stretch now carries a little extra weight as the Chargers look for a stronger response and a better all-around defensive push. [Read more 🡒]
Keenan Allens Latest Off-Field Trouble Just Took A Serious Turn
Keenan Allens latest off-field issue has quickly become a bigger football problem. The veteran wide receiver was arrested on drunk driving charges after a reported blood-alcohol content of .224, and the fallout has already reached the league level. ESPNs Adam Schefter reported that the arrest triggers a minimum three-game suspension from the NFL, with the possibility of a longer ban still on the table.
Allen, who signed a one-year deal with the Colts, has already appeared in one preseason game and is expected to keep practicing and playing while the legal process plays out. A court appearance is scheduled for October 26, leaving the situation in limbo for now and adding another layer of uncertainty to what was supposed to be a fresh start. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Bring A New Problem Into Chargers Week
Las Vegas is heading into its AFC West meeting with a little more uncertainty than usual after elevating tight end Chris Myarick and wide receiver Cody White from the practice squad. The moves line up with the expectation that All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers will not suit up after a recent meniscus procedure, leaving the Raiders to lean more heavily on Michael Mayer as the primary receiving tight end while Myarick adds blocking help.
For the Chargers, it changes the shape of the matchup in a way that matters. Head coach Klint Kubiak already labeled Bowers doubtful, with the final call waiting on a pregame workout, and if he is out, Las Vegas loses one of its most dynamic weapons before a division game that already carries plenty of weight. Beyond the personnel shuffle, it also puts more pressure on how the Raiders structure their passing game and protection plan, which is exactly the sort of wrinkle that can alter a familiar rivalry. [Read more 🡒]