Two weeks into the 2026 NFL season, the most disappointing team in football isn't a rebuilding roster or a franchise stuck in quarterback purgatory. It's the Los Angeles Chargers. They opened September with playoff expectations. They've responded with a dreadful 0-2 start against the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders - two opponents widely seen as the softest on the entire schedule.
That's what stings most in Los Angeles. An easy opening stretch was supposed to bank early wins before the schedule stiffened. Instead, the Chargers gave away winnable games. Now the spotlight burns hotter than ever on Jim Harbaugh's program. This is the brutal reality of Chargers: what is really going on and what happens next in NFL football - and right now, the answers are ugly.
Two Games, Zero Answers
CBS Sports' Week 3 head coach hot seat rankings already have Harbaugh "on thin ice." That's a stunning turn for a coach hired to bring toughness and stability to this franchise. The on-field product hasn't matched the reputation.
Offensively, the alarm centers on the trenches. NFL analysts have flagged Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater as "red flags" for LA - a damning indictment of a unit that was billed as a strength. When your two foundational offensive linemen are being singled out as liabilities, the problems run far deeper than scheme or play-calling.
Then there's Justin Herbert. The quarterback's uneven start hasn't just drawn film-room criticism. It's become a cultural talking point. NFL legend Michael Irvin publicly grilled Herbert and Madison Beer after an embarrassing loss. When your QB's off-field moments generate more headlines than his touchdown passes, you have a genuine problem.
📊 0-2 start against the Cardinals and Raiders - Two of the softest opponents on the entire 2026 schedule, making the Chargers' stumble even harder to swallow.
What's Actually Broken - and Who's to Blame
The Trenches Tell the Story
Great Chargers teams of the Harbaugh era were supposed to win up front. Right now, they aren't. If Alt and Slater - two cornerstone pieces - are being called out as liabilities, the issues run deeper than scheme or play-calling. Pressure on Herbert collapses the passing game, the run game can't control the clock, and the defense gets exposed. That's exactly how you lose to the Cardinals and Raiders.
Table: Chargers' Early-Season Collapse at a Glance
| Category | Status | Source Context |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 0-2 | Losses to Cardinals, Raiders |
| Coach status | "On thin ice" | CBS Sports Week 3 hot seat rankings |
| O-line concern | Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater flagged | NFL analysts, ClutchPoints |
| QB spotlight | Herbert criticized | Michael Irvin, Fox News |
| Betting storyline | "Sliding Chargers" | Yahoo Sports Week 3 |
The Heat Is Real in Week 3
Betting markets have taken notice, too. Yahoo Sports lists the "sliding Chargers" among the biggest Week 3 storylines - and not in a flattering way. Harbaugh's hot seat chatter, justified or not, is now part of the national conversation. In the NFL, narratives harden fast. This one is hardening by the day.
📊 Harbaugh ranked "on thin ice" in CBS Sports' Week 3 hot seat rankings - A stunning fall for a coach hired to deliver toughness and stability to Los Angeles.
What Happens Next: Buffalo, and a Season on the Brink
The timing couldn't be worse. Next up: a Week 3 matchup with the Buffalo Bills, a legitimate contender that is treating this game like a business trip. Buffalo even worked out a former third-round pass rusher this week, clearly hunting for edge-rush depth to torment Herbert. That's the sign of a team smelling blood.
