6 Chargers storylines ahead of Week 3 game against Bills

The Chargers look to pick up their first win of the season as they face the Bills on Sunday afternoon.

Here are six key storylines ahead of the Week 3 matchup.

0-2 start and high urgency for the first win

The Chargers are one of the league's biggest early disappointments after consecutive double-digit home losses to the Cardinals and Raiders (teams that combined for just six wins in 2025). Jim Harbaugh's team has looked out of sorts in all three phases with self-inflicted errors, and the sense of urgency is high. Teams that start 0-3 since 1990 have made the playoffs only about 2.9% of the time. A 1-2 start jumps that to roughly 25.3%.

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Offense sputtering under Mike McDaniel

McDaniel's scheme has managed just 14 points in each of the first two games. Issues include pre-snap penalties, discombobulated motion and timing, leaky protection, dropped passes, and turnovers. He has emphasized learning from mistakes and improving, considering simplifying aspects of the offense. We will see if that materializes on Sunday.

Justin Herbert looking to bounce back

Through two games, Herbert has completed just 59.3% of his passes for 401 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. His performance is tied to a 29.2 QBR, which ranks 31st in the NFL, alongside a subpar 71.6 passer rating. In addition to the dropped passes and consistent pressure he has been under, Herbert has appeared overly robotic, strictly following the script of McDaniel's offense rather than relying on his natural instincts and strengths. Facing a Bills passing defense that's 30th in the NFL, he will have the opportunity to flip the script.

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A heavily depleted tight end room

The Chargers took a couple of blows when David Njoku and Charlie Kolar were injured last weekend against the Raiders and will not be available. This leaves the Bolts remarkably thin at the position, forcing Oronde Gadsden II, Hayden Rucci, and a practice squad elevation (Patrick Herbert or Evan Svoboda) to step up. Gadsden caught all four of his targets across the first two games for 50 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown pass during the Week 2 loss to the Raiders. McDaniel said the team plans to find creative ways to get the ball into his hands, signaling that the offense's structure will adapt to favor Gadsden's unique wide-receiver-style skill set.

Shuffling a mangled offensive line

Injuries have completely compromised the interior of the offensive line. Starting guard Kayode Awosika (fibula) and Trey Pipkins III (knee) have both been officially ruled out. The Chargers will slide former first-round pick Trevor Penning into left guard alongside Cole Strange on the right side, giving Buffalo's defensive line a clear target to exploit. Bills' Deone Walker leads all qualified NFL interior defensive linemen with nine quarterback pressures through the first two weeks of the 2026 season.

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Chris O'Leary's ultimate matchup

After going up against Jacoby Brissett and Kirk Cousins in the first two weeks, the 34-year-old O'Leary faces arguably his toughest test of the season in Josh Allen. Allen has engineered an offense that leads the NFL in scoring (38.5 PPG). O'Leary must eliminate coverage errors and find a way to generate consistent pressure, all while containing Allen's league-leading four rushing touchdowns.

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 6 Chargers storylines ahead of Week 3 game against Bills