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The Los Angeles Chargers are in trouble.
Justin Herbert and the Chargers hit Week 2 at 0-1 after the colossal flop against the Arizona Cardinals that has Jim Harbaugh expressing certain regrets. Along the way, the brutally ineffective Mike McDaniel offense lost star wideout Ladd McConkey to injury.
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Now, the Chargers need to line up against a scrappy 1-0 Raiders team with Kirk Cousins at quarterback and the stingy Maxx Crosby-led defense in an always-tough AFC West battle.
There’s enough there to suggest the Chargers might be on upset watch. And it probably doesn’t hurt, really, to hear that at least one NFL coach thinks so, too.
Chargers on upset watch vs. Raiders
Chatting about what went wrong and just how badly in Week 1 for the Chargers would keep us here all day. Put it like this: Justin Herbert got outplayed by Jacoby Brissett at home.
Moving on… even NFL coaches see the red flags going into Week 2.
One anonymous NFL coach who spoke with The Athletic’s Mike Sando hinted that the Raiders were a trap game for the Chargers no matter what happened in Week 1.
“They are going to have their hands full with the Raiders next week,” a coach told Sando, “because the Raiders are organized, they have a veteran quarterback and their defensive front is decent.”
It’s just one coach, but it doesn’t make the point any less valid.
Those Raiders grabbed a win over the Miami Dolphins last week while Cousins threw for three scores and two picks. Ashton Jeanty looked dominant on the ground and a revamped defense drummed up five sacks.
The Chargers can’t afford to fall into an 0-2 hole either, not with this stretch following the game:
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- Bills
- Seahawks
- Broncos
- Chiefs
- Rams
- Texans
- Ravens
That’s a season-ruining stretch if the Chargers can’t get right at home in Week 2.
Luckily for the Chargers, Jim Harbaugh tends to do well against familiar AFC West opponents. Even last year with plenty of problems, the Chargers swept the Raiders in 20-9 and 31-14 wins.
This year, the Chargers hoped this Week 2 encounter wasn’t a “get-right game,” yet here it is. Better than it turning out to be a trap that really swings things in a downward spiral.
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Today’s best reads
- Chargers Continue Their Perplexing Struggles Outside the AFC West
- NFL Bold Season Predictions Play It Safe With Chargers…And Nobody Would Complain
- A New Offensive Era, 4 Other Things to Know About Chargers vs. Cardinals
- The Morning-After Thunder: Panic Time for Chargers as Slow Starts Doom Playoff Hopes
- Searching for Answers: Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh Expresses Regret
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as Early Raiders vs. Chargers Preview Features NFL Coach Warning LA.
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This story was originally published September 16, 2026 at 8:30 AM.