It was the kind of Week 7 that shakes up the NFL board from top to bottom, and the latest power rankings reflect it. Only the Minnesota Vikings are still unbeaten, while the Los Angeles Chargers are the lone winless team left standing. With Week 8 now ahead, there’s plenty of churn near the bottom, starting with a Chargers team that somehow made it through its bye week without adding another loss.
- Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers didn’t play in Week 7, but their season still feels like it’s slipping further out of focus. An early bye usually gives a team a chance to catch its breath and regroup, and that’s exactly the kind of reset this group needed after a brutal start.
Instead, the bigger question hanging over Los Angeles is what happens after the season, because this isn’t remotely close to what anyone expected. Justin Herbert with Mike McDaniel calling the plays was supposed to mean a major offensive jump. The defense was supposed to stay strong, even without Jesse Minter.
None of it has come together. Injuries have mounted, the football has gotten worse, and the Chargers are stuck in a mess they never seemed headed for.
- Tennessee Titans
Tennessee is now 1-6 after a late loss to the Cleveland Browns, and the home struggles are glaring too, with the Titans still winless at 0-4 in Nashville.
The issue isn’t just the losses. It’s the way they keep happening. Robert Saleh even ended up essentially putting his offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, in the crosshairs after the game.
Saleh has every reason to be fed up with the offense’s performance this season. Cam Ward’s growth was never going to be a straight line, and nobody should’ve expected it to look smooth from the jump. But when the defeats keep piling up in front of your own crowd, the frustration grows louder.
What was supposed to be a possible breakout season has become a rebuilding year instead. That’s part of the reality now in Tennessee, though it may also mean the offense needs to be reworked.
In Other News...
Chargers Veteran Already Caught In Trade Talk After 0-6 Start
The Chargers 0-6 start has already pushed the conversation toward the future, and that means the trade market is starting to come into focus. ESPN NFL insider Bill Barnwell recently identified Dalvin Tomlinson as a possible name to watch, a notable twist for a veteran defensive tackle who signed with Los Angeles on a one-year deal only this offseason.
Tomlinson is in his 10th NFL season and has played in four games for the Chargers so far, recording eight tackles while trying to steady a defense that has plenty of questions ahead of it. A move would not be a surprise with the Chargers in evaluation mode, and the possibility of his path eventually looping back to familiar territory only adds another layer to a situation that could develop quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Bye Week Puts Joe Hortiz Under Pressure To Pick A Direction
With the bye week arriving at a difficult moment, Joe Hortiz and the Chargers front office are staring at a roster that has been battered by injuries and a record that leaves little room for comfort. The trade deadline is approaching with two games still left before it hits, and for now the team is giving the impression that it will stay quiet rather than start moving pieces around.
Los Angeles, though, is in a spot where every result seems to narrow the range of possible decisions. Hortiz and John Spanos have to weigh short-term losses against future draft capital, and the next two games will go a long way toward shaping whether this becomes a patient reset or a more urgent search for help. If the losses keep piling up, the pressure to pick a direction will only get louder. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers May Have A Justin Herbert Protection Move Worth Watching
The Chargers are still searching for ways to make life easier for Justin Herbert, and the offensive line remains the clearest place to look. One name worth keeping on the radar is guard Wyatt Teller, a veteran who signed a two-year deal with Houston and has since seen his role change. For a team trying to keep Herbert cleaner and the offense on schedule, the appeal is obvious: a proven interior blocker who could help stabilize a group that has needed help.
Tellers situation is what makes this interesting, because his current standing could make him available at the right price before the deadline. Los Angeles has reason to explore upgrades in the trenches, but any move would have to balance fit, cost, and how much immediate improvement it can realistically deliver. For now, it is more a possibility than a promise, but it is the kind of protection move that could make a real difference if the Chargers decide to act. [Read more 🡒]