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Chargers fall to 0-3 after offense wastes five takeaways in loss to Bills
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Cover one eye and the Chargers had a gem of a game Sunday, forcing five turnovers by the Buffalo Bills and shocking one of the best teams in football.
Open both eyes and an undeniable reality came into focus.
No matter how well their defense played, the split-personality Chargers didn’t have the offensive juice to capitalize on those takeaways.
They seized the football, spun their wheels and corkscrewed even deeper into the NFL basement with a demoralizing 24-16 defeat.
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Sam Farmer breaks down what went wrong for the Chargers in their 24-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.
“I’m used to this,” said Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, a former Philadelphia Eagles standout who made a key interception Sunday. “I’ve been in two Super Bowls, conference championships. It ain’t nothing new. Teams like [the Chargers], that ain’t really been to the top, they don’t know how to finish as well. And we got playmakers over here that know how to finish.
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Chargers make it a one-score game, but are running out of time
🏈 Bills 24, Chargers 16 — 1:56 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it a one score game after a promising-looking Chargers drive stalled in the red zone.
Justin Herbert connected on a 24-yard pass to Tre’ Harris, then found Kimani Vidal for 14 yards and Ladd McConkey for 29 yards to quickly move the ball to the Buffalo 18, but the Chargers wouldn’t go much further.
The Chargers have one timeout left and need to make sure the Bills don’t get a first down to have any chance of a comeback. The Chargers would need to score a touchdown and convert on a two-point try to tie the score.
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Bills extend their lead on James Cook touchdown run
🏈 Bills 24, Chargers 13 — 3:13 left in the fourth quarter
James Cook scored on a three-yard touchdown run to extend the Bills’ lead late in the fourth quarter.
A 16-yard reception to DJ Moore set up the touchdown run, which capped a speedy, six-play, 45-yard drive after the Chargers’ turnover on downs.
Unless Justin Herbert can orchestrate a miracle comeback, the Chargers are staring at an 0-3 start.
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Chargers’ offensive woes on full display late in fourth quarter
🏈 Bills 17, Chargers 13 — 5:08 left in the fourth quarter
The Chargers are running out of time.
Quentin Johnston dropped a very catchable pass on third down before Justin Herbert threw an incompletion under pressure on fourth down to give Buffalo the ball at the Chargers’ 45.
Greg Rousseau sacked Herbert for the second time today earlier in the possession, which was over in five plays.
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Buffalo takes lead in fourth quarter on Josh Allen TD run
🏈 Bills 17, Chargers 13 — 7:35 left in the fourth quarter
Bills quarterback Josh Allen scored on a one-yard run to give Buffalo its first lead and cap a wild drive that covered 58 yards in 13 plays. It was Allen’s second touchdown run of the game.
A holding penalty by Bills tight end Dawson Knox turned what appeared to be a 43-yard touchdown reception by Ty Johnson on fourth-and-six into just a 19-yard pass and a first down.
However, three holding penalties on the Bills deep in Chargers territory appeared to derail the drive, only for the Bills to get a first down despite facing second-and-26.
Consecutive 11-yard runs by James Cook eventually led to the Allen touchdown.
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Justin Herbert interception wastes prime scoring opportunity
🏈 Chargers 13, Bills 10 — 13:25 left in the fourth quarter
The Chargers gave up a prime scoring opportunity early in the fourth quarter when Justin Herbert was picked off by Buffalo’s C.J. Gardner-Johnson at the one-yard line.
Gardner-Johnson returned the interception to the Buffalo 43.
The interception came three plays after the Chargers’ defense forced a fifth turnover when Daiyan Henley recovered a fumble after Khalil Mack sacked Josh Allen.
The fumble, which was confirmed on video review after it was initially ruled as just a sack, gave the Chargers the ball at the Buffalo 28.
It came one play after rookie pass rusher Akheem Mesidor sacked Allen.
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Chargers force another Bills turnover on fumble recovery
🏈 Chargers 13, Bills 10 — 1:36 left in the third quarter
The Chargers forced their fourth turnover when Tarheeb Still punched the ball out of Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid’s hands after a big, tackle-shedding catch and Tony Jefferson pounced on the loose ball.
The Chargers, however, couldn’t capitalize with the ensuing drive stalling after five plays.
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Chargers settle for field goal after costly red-zone penalties
🏈 Chargers 13, Bills 10 — 6:12 left in the third quarter
The Chargers had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker on the opening drive of the second half after costly penalties inside the 10 thwarted a touchdown opportunity.
The Chargers got to the Buffalo one-yard line before false start penalties on tight end Hayden Rucci and guard Cole Strange ultimately stalled the 13-play, 69-yard drive.
Before the goal-line troubles, Justin Herbert found Ladd McConkey on a 19-yard pass on third-and-15, with the third-year wide receiver managing to keep his feet in bounds at the Buffalo six.
A holding penalty on Bills cornerback Christian Benford nullified an interception by safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the end zone.
A 29-yard pass from Herbert to Tre’ Harris was the biggest play of the drive, which also included an 11-yard reception by McConkey.
Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson sustained a concussion in the first half and will not return to the game.
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Josh Allen TD run late in second quarter ties score at halftime
🏈 Chargers 10, Bills 10 — HALFTIME
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen scored on a one-yard tush push run to help tie the score with 16 seconds left in the second quarter, capping a 10-play, 80-yard drive.
Keon Coleman set up the touchdown with a 37-yard reception, beating Chargers rookie cornerback Rodney Shelley in coverage.
The drive included receptions of 13 and 10 yards by DJ Moore.
After the Bills’ field goal, the Chargers struggled to generate much on the ensuing possession. Greg Rousseau sacked Justin Herbert on third down to force the Chargers’ second punt of the game.
Herbert completed nine of 16 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown in the first half. Fullback Alec Ingold has a team-leading 30 yards on two catches.
Allen has completed 10 of 17 passes for 112 yards with two interceptions — both by Chargers rookie Genesis Smith. James Cook has 59 yards in 10 carries and Moore has caught four passes for 39 yards.
Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson left the game in the second quarter to be evaluated for a head injury.
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Chargers defense limits Bills to a field goal
🏈 Chargers 10, Bills 3 — 6:02 left in the second quarter
Buffalo’s Tyler Bass kicked a 28-yard field goal as the Chargers managed to stop the Bills in the red zone and limit the damage.
Josh Allen failed to connect with DJ Moore in the end zone on third down, overthrowing the ball as he stepped up in the pocket to end a 10-play, 55-yard drive.
Running back Ty Johnson picked up 16 yards off a short run-and-catch pass from a scrambling Allen that moved the ball into the red zone.
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Cameron Dicker misses a 45-yard field-goal attempt
🏈 Chargers 10, Bills 0 — 10:22 left in the second quarter
Cameron Dicker missed a 45-yard field-goal attempt — his second missed field goal this season — as the Chargers failed to capitalize on Genesis Smith’s second interception of the game.
Dicker’s kick curved wide left in what could be a troubling development for a Chargers team very used to reliable points from Dicker — the most accurate kicker in Chargers’ history.
Justin Herbert tried to find Ladd McConkey on a deep pass on third down, but the pass was a bit too far for the wide receiver to make the catch, ending an 11-play, 63-yard drive.
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Rookie Genesis Smith picks off another pass for Chargers
🏈 Chargers 10, Bills 0 — 12:54 left in the second quarter
Chargers rookie Genesis Smith made a spectacular play to come up with his second interception of the game — and the Chargers’ third takeaway.
On a Josh Allen pass intended for DJ Moore, Smith managed to knock the ball away before corralling it from his back on the turf to put the ball back in Justin Herbert’s hands at the Chargers’ 10-yard line.
The Chargers continue to play their best football of the season so far here in the first half against Buffalo.
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Chargers add to lead after Genesis Smith interception
🏈 Chargers 10, Bills 0 — 34 seconds left in the first quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 31-yard field goal — his first field goal of the season — to extend the Chargers’ lead following an interception by rookie safety Genesis Smith.
Smith’s interception of Bills quarterback Josh Allen gave the Chargers the ball at the Buffalo 43. A roughing the passer penalty on Bills linebacker Greg Rousseau moved the ball into Dicker’s range.
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Chargers defense looking strong early vs. Bills
🏈 Chargers 7, Bills 0 — 2:42 left in the first quarter
The Chargers’ defense is off to an impressive start.
In addition to Daiyan Henley recovering a fumble on Buffalo’s first possession, Tuli Tuipulotu sacked Josh Allen on third down to end a five-play drive on the Bills’ second possession.
Jamaree Caldwell also deflected an Allen pass — that the quarterback ended up catching for a short gain.
On the Bills’ third possession, rookie Genesis Smith picked off Allen to put the ball back in Justin Herbert’s hands at the Buffalo 43.
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Chargers capitalize on fumble recovery to take early lead
🏈 Chargers 7, Bills 0 — 10:33 left in the first quarter
Keaton Mitchell scored on a one-yard carry, breaking a tackle and winning the sprint to the outside as the Chargers capitalized on a fumble recovery to take an early lead.
Linebacker Daiyan Henley recovered a fumble by Bills running back James Cook on the first play from scrimmage to give the Chargers the ball at the Buffalo 47.
A 15-yard roughing the passer penalty on Bradley Chubb put the Chargers in field-goal range. Herbert scrambled seven yards for a first down and Kimani Vidal had a six-yard carry for a first down to help fuel the eight-play drive.
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Chargers vs. Bills inactives for Sunday
Here are the players who will not be suiting up for the Chargers and Buffalo Bills on Sunday:
Chargers
QB DJ Uiagalelei (emergency QB)
DB Elijah Molden
G Alex Harkey
G Kayode Awosika
TE Charlie Kolar
WR Brenen Thompson
DL Dalvin Tomlinson
Bills
WR Skyler Bell
S Jalon Kilgore
LB Mike Danna
G Ar’maj Reed-Adams
OL Jude Bowry
DL T.J. Sanders
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From the ER to end zone: Inside Justin Herbert’s L.A. life with his brothers
The doctor is in. All in.
How could he not be?
His younger brother is Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who two years ago eclipsed Peyton Manning for the most yardage in NFL history through a player’s first five seasons.
The doctor in this case is Mitch Herbert, 30, in the second year of his orthopedic surgery residency at UCLA, giving him a front-row seat to his brother’s rise to NFL stardom.
The spotlight is trained on Justin Herbert this season, the seventh of his pro career. He has a new offensive coordinator in former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, and a head coach in Jim Harbaugh who sees Herbert’s potential as boundless, once referring to the passer as “the best that ever was.”
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Why Justin Herbert isn’t questioning Chargers’ leadership amid winless start
Justin Herbert is prioritizing on-field execution as the Chargers seek their first win.
That’s why the seventh-year quarterback cut off a reporter’s question about whether the team’s locker room needs heightened vocal leadership as the Chargers carry an 0-2 record into Sunday’s road game against the unbeaten Buffalo Bills.
“I think I’m going to stop you right there,” Herbert said. “We’ve got great leadership on this team. I trust those guys in that locker room, so I don’t think anyone has panicked or worried because that’s not going to do us any good.
“It’s [about] moving on to the next play and understanding we’re close, we made mistakes, how do we fix it and how do we move on?”
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Commentary: Mike McDaniel’s complicated scheme is turning Chargers’ offense into a disaster
Be careful what you wish for when you’re wishing for a new offensive coordinator.
Chargers fans were so over Greg Roman. Anything would be better than his run-heavy scheme stunting quarterback Justin Herbert’s anticipated ascension. Anyone would be preferable to the man holding the reins while the Chargers scored just three points in last season’s wild-card loss to the New England Patriots, after which Roman was fired.
Anyone such as, say, former Miami Dolphins coach and purported offensive guru Mike McDaniel?
Yeah?
About that.
Somehow, after just two games, the Chargers’ offense under McDaniel has Bolts fans wishing anyone else was running the show. Roman included.
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Recap: Six fumbles, zero excuses. Chargers frustrated by blunder-filled loss to Raiders
Once is a hiccup.
Twice is a habit.
Maybe this is what the Chargers are — lurching, sputtering and unable to consistently move the football, despite an offensive overhaul packed with lofty expectations.
Just as they did in their abysmal season opener, the Chargers struggled at home Sunday and failed to establish a rhythm on their way to a 26-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Chargers vs. Buffalo Bills: How to watch, start time, odds and prediction
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The undefeated Buffalo Bills are preparing for their second game at their just-opened Highmark Stadium.
The winless Chargers, meanwhile, are hoping they have discovered their low mark.
They are 0-2 for the first time in the head coaching career of Jim Harbaugh, including both his college and pro jobs. What’s more, they’re at risk of dropping to 0-3 for the first time since 2017, their first season after relocating to Los Angeles.
That was the sixth 0-3 start in the history of the Chargers franchise, and the previous two times — 2000 and 2003 — the club wound up with the No. 1 overall pick.