The Chargers head to Buffalo looking for their first win of the season. To pull off the upset, they’ll need to contain Josh Allen, develop chemistry on offense and avoid the costly turnovers that have hurt them through the first two games.
The Los Angeles Chargers couldn’t have asked for a much tougher spot to try and get their season back on track. After starting the season 0-2 with back-to-back 26-14 losses, Los Angeles now has to travel to Buffalo to take on a Bills team that is 2-0 and playing with a lot of confidence.
This is a game where the Chargers have to play a much cleaner brand of football. There are three things that could go a long way toward determining whether they can leave Buffalo with their first win of the season.
1. Don’t Let Josh Allen Become Superman
This one is obvious, but it is easier said than done.
Josh Allen has been one of the biggest problems for opposing defenses for years because he can beat you in so many different ways. Through two games, he has thrown for 582 yards and five touchdowns without an interception while also rushing for 92 yards and four touchdowns.
The Chargers can’t allow Allen to extend plays and turn broken situations into huge gains. They have to keep him contained, make him win from the pocket and prevent the explosive plays that can completely change a game.
If Allen starts running around and making plays with his legs, it could be a long afternoon.
2. Develop Chemistry on Offense
The Chargers’ offense has looked completely out of sync through the first two games. That has to change quickly.
This is a new offense under Mike McDaniel and there were always going to be growing pains. But at 0-2, the Chargers don’t have the luxury of waiting for everything to eventually click. Justin Herbert and the rest of the offense need to start looking like a unit.
That becomes even more important with the injuries the team is dealing with. David Njoku is now on injured reserve and Charlie Kolar also suffered an injury, leaving Oronde Gadsden as the lone tight end on the active roster heading into the week.
The Chargers need to find ways to get Herbert comfortable, establish some rhythm and stop making things harder on themselves.
3. Limit the Turnovers
The Chargers simply can’t afford to give the Bills extra possessions.
Through the first two games, turnovers and poor execution have been major problems for an offense that has struggled to get going. Against Buffalo, those mistakes could be even more costly.
The Bills have an offense capable of scoring points in bunches. They scored 41 points against Detroit last week and found the end zone on five of their first six possessions.
If the Chargers give Buffalo short fields or hand Allen extra opportunities, they are making an already difficult matchup even harder.
The Chargers need to play their best game of the season. That starts with slowing down Allen, getting the offense on the same page and taking care of the football. At 0-2, there isn’t much room for another poor performance.
