Los Angeles Chargers schedule 2026: Takeaways, predictions
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Chargers‘2026 schedule was launched together with the remainder of the NFL slate on Thursday.
The first two seasons of coach Jim Harbaugh’s period in Los Angeles have been marked by common season success and postseason failure. Harbaugh took a five-win group to the playoffs two years in a row; each seasons, the group gained 11 video games. But Harbaugh promised championships when he got here to LA, and the Chargers have but to win a playoff sport.
Instead, the group has had two embarrassing playoff losses. The newest, a wild-card spherical loss to the Patriots, led to the firing of Harbaugh’s longtime good friend and offensive coordinator, Greg Roman.
But there’s renewed pleasure in Los Angeles, because the group employed Mike McDaniel to be offensive coordinator, the previous Miami Dolphins coach, who is taken into account to be one of many league’s greatest offensive minds. McDaniel has created among the most explosive offenses in NFL historical past however has by no means had a quarterback as proficient as Justin Herbert. For that cause, many within the group imagine the pairing will make the Chargers professional championship contenders in Harbaugh’s third season.
Here’s what’s in retailer for the Chargers:
Chargers 2026 regular-season schedule
Week 1: Sept. 13 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 2: Sept. 20 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Week 3: Sept. 27 at Buffalo Bills
Week 4: Oct. 4 at Seattle Seahawks
Week 5: Oct. 11 vs. Denver Broncos
Week 6: Oct. 18 at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 7: BYE
Week 8: Nov. 1 at Los Angeles Rams
Week 9: Nov. 8 vs. Houston Texans
Week 10: Nov. 15 at Baltimore Ravens (MNF)
Week 11: Nov. 22 vs. New York Jets
Week 12: Nov. 29 vs. New England Patriots (SNF)
Week 13: Dec. 6 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 14: Dec. 13 at Raiders
Week 15: Dec. 20 vs. San Francisco 49ers (TNF)
Week 16: Dec. 27 at Miami Dolphins
Week 17: Jan. 3 vs. Chiefs*
Week 18: Jan. 10 at Broncos*
*Dates for Weeks 17 and 18 are to be decided
Strength of schedule: The Chargers have the ninth-hardest schedule within the league (opponents had a .522 successful proportion in 2025).
DraftKings over/below win complete: 10.5
ESPN analyst Mike Clay’s projected win complete: 9.5
Biggest takeaway
There will probably be much less journey. Last season, the Chargers traveled a league-leading 37,086 miles, which included a visit to Brazil. The Chargers will nonetheless have the seventh-most miles logged this season (24,816), however that is a major dropoff from what they earned in 2025. There’s no approach to quantify how a lot the journey could have impacted the group’s efficiency final season. But the lighter journey might assist the group keep consistency and permit time for restoration — particularly with out a global journey.
Circle this date
Nov. 29. This will probably be a rematch of final yr’s wild-card spherical playoff sport towards the Patriots, which featured one of many worst quarterback performances Justin Herbert‘s profession, within the Chargers’ 16-3 loss. The sport will probably be on “Sunday Night Football,” offering a possibility for Herbert and the Chargers at redemption in entrance of a nationwide viewers.
Bold prediction
The Chargers will begin 3-0, marking the primary time they’ve began back-to-back seasons on a three-game win streak because the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Los Angeles begins the 2026 season with two groups who had been out of the playoffs final season — the Cardinals and the Raiders — each video games they’ll doubtless be favorites in and each at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers’ greatest check is available in Week 3, a cross-country journey to face quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills.
Is this yr the Chargers lastly win the AFC West?
It’s been 16 seasons because the Chargers gained their division. Last yr, they appeared on monitor to interrupt that streak following a 3-0 begin (towards all three of their divisional opponents), however LA pale and completed second within the division to the Broncos.
With tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater again from season-ending accidents and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, on paper, the Chargers have a professional shot. But this group’s success has all the time been rooted in hypotheticals.
