Los Angeles Chargers

Our team assessment

Article cutoff 2026-10-06

Chargers | 0-4

The Chargers have allowed at least 24 points in every game and produced too few clean possessions to answer. Their offensive giveaways have run two, three, one and four. One of the 10 season giveaways came on special teams; the other nine did not. Seven defensive takeaways offered some help, but five came in a single game. The offense has kept moving on only 39.2 percent of plays and returned 67 points from 19 threatening drives, compared with 101 from 23 for opponents.

Jim Harbaugh praised a “never say die attitude”. Sunday supplied the comeback effort, from 27-6 down to a 30-23 final, and then the same ending problem: a sack-fumble on the final possession. Two interceptions, that fumble and a muffed punt gave Seattle four additional possessions. Seven long gains provided offensive life between stalls, but only 32.4 percent of plays made enough progress. Effort can narrow a score. Repeating possession mistakes is making 0-4 considerably easier to explain.

After opponent punts or failed fourth downs, Chargers possessions have begun at their own 16.8, on average, across 17 competitive drives. The weekly average has varied widely, from their own 13.4 to their own 29.0. The latest game averaged their own 18.3. The resulting possession started at midfield or closer to the end zone in 0 of those 17 cases. These are actual starting spots, including punt returns, rather than a measure of the defense alone. The return unit has added 14 punt-return yards over the season. Starts following turnovers are counted separately: 7 competitive possessions at their own 39.1 on average.

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