Justin Herbert tried to strike a steady tone after the Chargers dropped to 0-2, but the postgame reaction didn’t sit well with everyone.
Los Angeles was beaten 26-14 by the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season on Sunday, and Herbert was asked afterward whether there was any anger inside the locker room after the rough start.
“No, I don't think so," Herbert said. "There's a group full of grown men that can handle their job, and they're going to do everything they can to correct it and fix it.
We're going to stick together, and it's tough. No one wants to lose two games, but there's nothing we can do about it now.”
That answer drew a sharp response from NFL analyst John Frascella, who aimed his criticism at Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh.
"Remember when this dude used to have AURA?? Man, Jim Harbaugh ruined this kid’s career Brandon Staley had him cocky & spinnin that da*n thing," Frascella tweeted.
Herbert finished 15 of 27 for 192 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions against Las Vegas. Omarion Hampton led the Chargers on the ground with 94 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
On the other side, Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins went 19 of 29 for 253 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Harbaugh was hired by the Chargers in January 2024. He has guided the team to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, but Los Angeles still has not won a postseason game.
The Chargers will try to get on track in Week 3 when they face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at Highmark Stadium in New York, with the game airing on Fox and streaming on Fubo.
Buffalo enters at 2-0 after beating the Detroit Lions on Thursday night. The Chargers, still searching for their first win, will be looking to change that in a hurry.
In Other News...
Chargers 0-2 Start Just Sparked A Debate Fans Didn't Want
Two games into the 2026 season, the Chargers are already dealing with the kind of early frustration that tends to invite bigger questions. Losses to the Cardinals and Raiders have put the spotlight on more than just the record, with the discussion around the team quickly shifting to discipline, execution and whether the current approach is getting enough out of a roster built to contend.
Jim Harbaughs leadership is now part of the conversation, as are the repeated penalties that have followed Joe Alt and the uneven play from Chris OLearys defense. None of that is fatal in September, but it does leave the Chargers in a place they did not want to be this soon, with the stakes for the rest of the season already feeling a little heavier than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers' 0-2 Start Puts One Early Problem Front And Center
The Chargers season is only two games old, but the early picture is already hard to ignore. A loss to the Raiders left Los Angeles winless, even with some encouraging individual moments on offense, including a touchdown catch by rookie tight end Gadsden, a big 53-yard grab by Harris and a passing line from Justin Herbert that showed both the yardage production and the turnover trouble that has helped shape the teams rough opening.
For a team that expected to settle in quickly, the frustration is coming from the way the losses are piling up on themselves. Herberts two interceptions mattered, but so did the late fumble by Hampton, another costly mistake that undercut the kind of explosive plays the Chargers need to turn into wins. The talent is there, but after back-to-back setbacks, the most obvious early concern is how often Los Angeles is beating itself. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Suddenly Have Bigger Questions Than One More Loss
The Chargers latest loss to the Raiders did more than add another mark in the standings. It also sharpened the scrutiny on just about every corner of the roster, as Nick Canepa handed out his postgame grades after the 27-14 defeat and found very little to feel good about. Justin Herberts performance drew the harshest reaction, with the quarterback earning an F after a night defined by turnovers and trouble locating open targets.
Those grades reflected a larger problem than one bad afternoon, because the evaluation did not stop with Herbert. Several other position groups and the coaching staff were hit with low marks as the Chargers try to pick themselves up quickly for Buffalo next. For a team already searching for consistency, the concern now is whether this was simply one ugly game or another sign that more fundamental fixes are needed. [Read more 🡒]