The Chargers are already staring at a gut-check in Week 2 after opening the 2026 NFL season with one of the biggest stunners of the first week. Los Angeles went in as a double-digit favorite against the Arizona Cardinals and walked out with a loss, a result that put immediate pressure on a team that now has a brutal stretch ahead.
That next run is no joke. After this AFC West matchup, the Chargers are lined up to face a heavy dose of the league’s top competition over the next eight weeks, with games against the Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans, and Ravens on deck.
The Raiders, meanwhile, handled their business in Week 1 with a 27-13 win over the Miami Dolphins.
Justin Herbert’s opener was part of the problem for Los Angeles. He finished 17-of-27 for 209 yards with one touchdown and one interception, a line that simply didn’t match what a team expects from an MVP-level quarterback, especially against a defense that struggled badly a season ago. The offensive line, the coaching, and the playcalling all get their share of blame, but the Chargers need Herbert to be better - and fast - with tougher defenses looming.
There’s also reason to keep an eye on the Chargers’ defense, which took a hit after losing defensive coordinator Jesse Minter a year ago. Minter is now the head coach in Baltimore, and the early returns have not been encouraging. Los Angeles ranks 27th in defensive DVOA, 23rd in opponent EPA per play, and 25th in defensive success rate.
That’s part of why the total for this game sitting at 43.5 stands out. The Raiders’ offense has enough going for it with Kirk Cousins at quarterback and Ashton Jeanty settling in behind an improved offensive line, which makes the OVER an appealing angle in this Week 3 AFC West showdown.
In Other News...
Chargers Make Another Practice Squad Move That Ends A Brief Experiment
The Chargers shuffled their practice squad again, parting ways with cornerback Kaiir Elam and bringing in wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. It is another small but telling move for a team that has not been shy about adjusting the bottom of the roster as it looks for the right mix of depth and fit.
Elams stay in Los Angeles was brief, even by practice-squad standards, after the former first-round pick landed there following the 2026 preseason. He had already bounced around multiple NFL stops before arriving with the Chargers, and this latest change leaves the club using that roster spot on a veteran receiver instead of continuing the experiment on the back end of the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Suddenly Need Help At Receiver Faster Than Expected
The Chargers are already looking for outside help at receiver, and the need has surfaced earlier than they likely wanted. With injuries thinning a group that includes Ladd McConkey, Derius Davis and KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Los Angeles is working out veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling as it tries to stabilize a position that suddenly lacks reliable depth.
Valdes-Scantling brings a rsum that includes two Super Bowl titles and stops with multiple NFL teams, which makes him a familiar fit for a club searching for experience as much as pure production. He was released by the Cowboys after the 2026 preseason, and now the question is whether the Chargers see enough in his workout to bring in another receiver before the early-season injury situation gets any more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Keenan Allens Latest Off-Field Trouble Could Decide How This Ends
Keenan Allens offseason arrest has now turned into a legal matter, with the former Chargers standout and current Colts wide receiver formally charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration of .15 or more. The case stems from the Aug. 30 incident in which police said Allen showed slurred speech and registered a high breath alcohol level, turning what began as a troubling off-field episode into something with real consequences still ahead.
Allen has already been on the field for Indianapolis in its season opener, but the bigger questions remain unresolved. His legal process is still moving forward, and the NFL has yet to weigh in with any discipline, leaving one of the leagues more familiar veteran receivers waiting to see how this ultimately gets sorted out. [Read more 🡒]