Six weeks into the 2026 NFL season, the hype around a few teams has already turned into a mess. A handful of clubs entered the year with division-title dreams and playoff expectations, but the standings tell a much uglier story now: all four are sitting with losing records, and two of them are already staring at major damage control.
The Los Angeles Chargers might be the clearest example of a season going sideways fast. They’re 0-6, and there’s no real sugarcoating that.
The offense was supposed to carry this team, too. Justin Herbert was supposed to headline a group that included second-year back Omarion Hampton, Ladd McConkey, and an offensive line featuring Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, with Mike McDaniel stepping in as offensive coordinator to help push the unit to another level.
That never materialized. The Chargers are last in EPA per play and 31st in success rate, while their defense has at least been passable, ranking 19th in EPA per play allowed and 14th in success rate allowed.
But that hasn’t been enough to matter because the scoring has simply not been there. Los Angeles sits 30th in points per game at 15 a night.
Herbert’s early-season numbers have been rough, too. He ranks 31st out of 33 qualified quarterbacks in passer rating and EPA per dropback. And yes, he also leads the entire NFL with eight interceptions.
Hampton hasn’t been able to spark the ground game, averaging 3.6 yards per carry with a -0.30 EPA per attempt, and he’s also lost two fumbles. McConkey has only 200 receiving yards and one touchdown, and since Week 1 he has just 118 yards while battling injuries. Up front, the injury issues have piled up as well, with Slater on injured reserve and Alt out with the neck injury he suffered in Week 4.
At this point, the Chargers’ start has been so bad that even with a bye week ahead, it’s hard not to think some fans are already looking past the rest of the season and toward the offseason.
Indianapolis isn’t in the same winless hole, but the vibe there has soured quickly. The Colts were carrying real momentum into the year after going 8-4 last season before Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending injury. With Jones back, the expectation was a division push and a playoff run.
Instead, they’re 2-4 after a home loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans on Sunday, and the fallout was immediate: Indianapolis fired general manager Chris Ballard. The schedule doesn’t offer much relief either, with the undefeated Minnesota Vikings next and the Jacksonville Jaguars waiting in Week 8.
Jones has been a major reason the Colts have underachieved. He ranks 29th in yards per attempt, 30th in passer rating and 28th in EPA per dropback, and he’s thrown four touchdowns against six interceptions.
The run game has its own strange profile. Indianapolis ranks fourth in EPA per rush, but the more traditional numbers don’t line up as cleanly, with the team sitting 17th in yards per carry and 15th in rushing success rate. Even Jonathan Taylor has been held to 4.0 yards per carry with a negative -0.05 EPA per attempt.
As a whole, the offense is outside the top 20 in both EPA per play and success rate. The defense hasn’t picked up the slack, either, checking in at 24th in EPA per play allowed and 25th in success rate allowed.
With the quarterback play lagging, the rushing attack uneven, the defense struggling and the general manager gone, the Colts don’t have many obvious answers right now.
In Other News...
Chargers Winless Start Puts Omarion Hampton Decision Under Fire
With the Chargers still searching for their first win, the attention around their backfield has started to sharpen, especially when it comes to Omarion Hampton. Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said the way Hampton is being used is tied to game situations, which is the kind of answer teams lean on when they want to keep the discussion focused on the bigger picture rather than one players workload. In a season where every decision gets magnified, that explanation matters because the Chargers do not have much room for second-guessing.
McDaniels point fits the broader tone around the division, where coaches are trying to steady things without making drastic moves. Sean Payton has said he is not planning to bench Bo Nix and wants his team to keep improving, while Andy Reid has expressed full confidence in Harrison Butker as the Chiefs kicker works through his issues. For the Chargers, the question around Hampton is less about whether he belongs in the plans and more about how long the current usage pattern holds if the losses keep piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Seem To Be Delaying One Offensive Decision Fans Feared
The Chargers bye week has brought some much-needed breathing room after an 0-6 start, but it has not brought clarity on the offense. Mike McDaniel was seen at practice on Tuesday, a sign that he remains in place for now even as the units struggles have only intensified the questions around him.
There has been no official coaching change from the Chargers, and the team is using the week off to take a hard look at what has gone wrong. Jim Harbaugh is still evaluating the offense and has not ruled out a future change, leaving the situation open-ended as the Chargers try to decide whether patience or a reset is the better move. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Enter Bye Week With One Problem They Cant Ignore
The Chargers head into the bye week with little room to pretend the problem is anything other than the offense. After six straight losses and an 0-6 start, the team has slipped near the bottom of the NFL conversation, and the recent defeat only sharpened the sense that the break has arrived at a necessary moment. Injuries and turnovers have chipped away at the units consistency, leaving Los Angeles searching for answers before the schedule tightens again.
Jim Harbaugh has already signaled that the offense has to be evaluated, which makes the next stretch feel especially important for a team that still has to face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. The larger question now is how much change follows that evaluation, because the Chargers cannot afford to let the bye week pass without finding a cleaner path forward. Whether that means adjustments, role changes, or something more significant, the pressure to respond is only growing. [Read more 🡒]