We can all get a bit carried away with preseason predictions at times. Given months to stew on takes with no real football being played, we can build up playoff hopefuls to be Super Bowl favorites or bottom-dwellers to be bounce-back candidates. That's exactly what happened with the Los Angeles Chargers this offseason.
After adding Mike McDaniel as their offensive coordinator, the Chargers were expected to become one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL. Sure, the issues that derailed their offense in 2025 were still there, but McDaniel is one of the best play-callers in the league.
Of course, the Chargers haven't come close to meeting those expectations early in the season. They're 0-2 with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. The Buffalo Bills, on the other hand, are thriving.
When the two teams meet in Week 3, the Bills can turn the Chargers' rocky start into a season-ending disaster.
Bills can force Chargers out of the AFC playoff race in Week 3
According to Austin Mock of The Athletic, the Chargers' playoff chances have already been diminished to 12%. Losses to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders have them facing the toughest part of their schedule with no room for error. If the Bills beat them in Week 3, the Chargers might as well start preparing for the offseason.
Unfortunately for L.A., Joe Brady's team is built to dominate them.
So far this season, the Bills' offense ranks second in yards per game, first in points per game, and first in EPA per play, all without commiting a single turnover. Josh allen has been as close to perfect as a quarterback can be, making his early case for MVP.
Meanwhile, the Chargers' defense has been one of the worst in the league against the pass, allowing over eight yards per pass attempt, per SumerSports.
Even if the Chargers can get their offense back on track, they won't be able to keep up with Buffalo's scoring output. But it won't be so easy for McDaniels' offense to have a bounce-back performance. While the Bills' defense hasn't been perfect this year, it has excelled against the run, ranking in the top ten in EPA allowed per rush attempt.
The Chargers won't be able to lean on the run, which could expose their weakness in pass protection.
With a gift-wrapped loss from Buffalo, L.A. will watch its once-rampant expectations crumble into disaster.
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