Herbert, McDaniel offense wastes defense’s five takeaways as Bolts start 0-3

The lasting image from the LA Chargers’ 24-16 loss on Sunday will be quarterback Justin Herbert throwing a pass into the end zone that was intercepted with 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson returned it 41 yards after disguising his coverage and baiting Herbert into throwing the pass.

Herbert threw it on third-and-5 from the Buffalo 23-yard line, looking for Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who had been with the team for only two weeks and was active for the first time.

It was a terrible play that perfectly summed up what this offense has been through the first three games of the season: head-scratching turnovers, penalties in key situations and questionable play calling. It even had Fox color commentator Tom Brady questioning the Chargers’ decisions in the red zone.

What won’t be remembered about Sunday is that the Chargers defense finally looked like itself. It forced five Bills turnovers and sacked quarterback Josh Allen three times.

Instead, the offense once again failed to make the most of those opportunities. The Chargers turned the first two takeaways into 10 points, but things began to unravel as the game continued.

The big question after three weeks is what can Jim Harbaugh, Mike McDaniel and Herbert do to fix this?

The Chargers are 0-3, mainly because the offense can’t get out of its own way.

It is becoming increasingly evident that there is a disconnect between Herbert and McDaniel.

By this point last season, with Greg Roman calling the plays, the Chargers were 3-0 after big wins over Kansas City, Las Vegas and Denver.

They are 0-3 in 2026 with McDaniel calling the offense after losses to Arizona, Las Vegas and Buffalo.

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Sep 27, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (22) reacts in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at New Highmark Stadium.

A defense that forces five turnovers, holds Josh Allen and the Bills to 10 points through three quarters and sacks him four times shouldn’t lose the game.

On Buffalo’s opening offensive play, defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe got a hold of James Cook and punched the ball out, which Daiyan Henley recovered.

The Chargers offense immediately moved the ball down the field thanks to a 15-yard roughing-the-passer penalty and several short gains that got them to the Buffalo 1-yard line. Herbert then connected on a touch pass to Keaton Mitchell in motion, who followed his blocking into the end zone for a quick 7-0 lead.

On the next Bills possession, Allen faced third-and-9 from his own 47 when Tuli Tuipulotu brought him down for his first sack of the season.

After Buffalo punted, Herbert faced his own third-and-9 from the Chargers 30 and sent a pass downfield to tight end Oronde Gadsden. The ball hit both of Gadsden’s hands, but he couldn’t bring it in.

Another big opportunity missed by the Chargers offense.

The defense stepped up yet again when Allen faced first-and-20 from his own 34 after a holding penalty on Alec Anderson. Allen threw a pass intended for Elijah Moore, but safety Smith read it all the way and intercepted it.

The Chargers came away with only three points after a Cameron Dicker 31-yard field goal, but there was a questionable call on third-and-5 from Buffalo’s 15. McDaniel called a run with Mitchell toward the edge, and he picked up only two yards.

Why not put the ball in Herbert’s hands? Especially when Allen is standing on the other sideline.

On Buffalo’s next drive, the Bills faced second-and-7 from their own 35 when Allen unleashed a deep pass down the field. Moore and Smith battled for the ball, but it was the rookie safety who came down with his second interception of the game.

The Chargers offense looked smooth again thanks to Herbert creating chunk plays with a 25-yard pass to Alec Ingold, a 13-yarder to Tre Harris and another 13-yard completion to Quentin Johnston.

On third-and-3 from the Buffalo 27, Herbert went downfield to Ladd McConkey, who got a hand on the ball but couldn’t bring it in. A better throw from Herbert might have resulted in a touchdown.

Dicker then pushed a 45-yard field goal attempt wide left.

Another missed opportunity.

Allen finally got the Bills offense moving on the next drive. He hit Dalton Kincaid for 16 yards, Cook broke off a 15-yard run and Allen found Ty Johnson for a 16-yard catch-and-run on third-and-6.

The Chargers defense held Buffalo to a Tyler Bass 28-yard field goal, cutting the lead to 10-3.

The Chargers offense missed another opportunity when, on third-and-9 from midfield, left tackle Rashawn Slater was beaten by Greg Rousseau for a big sack on Herbert. McDaniel was visibly frustrated after the drive.

Allen and the Bills had four minutes to work with before halftime, and he made the most of them. Buffalo faced two quick third downs, both of which Allen converted with passes to Moore for a combined 23 yards.

On first-and-10 from the Chargers 38, Allen found Keon Coleman wide open downfield for a 37-yard completion that put Buffalo at the 1. Allen was then pushed into the end zone for the touchdown to tie the game 10-10 at halftime.

Coming out of halftime, Herbert led the Chargers on a 13-play, 69-yard drive, but once again they failed to come away with seven points.

Herbert faced third-and-15 from the Buffalo 25 when he found McConkey open near the sideline. Earlier in the drive, a block-in-the-back penalty on Gadsden and a holding call on Joe Alt had put the Chargers in second-and-26.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Sep 27, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on from the sideline in the first half against the Buffalo Bills at New Highmark Stadium.

Eventually, they reached first-and-goal from the Buffalo 3. Omarion Hampton picked up two yards to get them to the 1.

Then everything unraveled.

New Chargers tight end Hayden Rucci was called for a false start, backing them up to the 6. The next play was a pass to Harris that went nowhere. On third down, Cole Strange was called for the second false start of the sequence.

What started at the 1-yard line had suddenly become third-and-goal from the 11. After committing zero penalties in the first half, the Chargers committed four for 30 yards on the opening drive of the third quarter.

Herbert found Harris for an 8-yard gain, forcing Dicker to come on for a 21-yard field goal that gave the Chargers a 13-10 lead.

It was a drive that should have ended with seven points, not three.

The same offensive mistakes that plagued the Chargers in the first two games had followed them into Week 3.

Buffalo started moving the ball again on its next possession. A 15-yard run by Cook and several Allen completions moved the Bills to the Chargers 48. On third-and-8, Allen found Kincaid for a 24-yard gain.

Kincaid was difficult to bring down, but Tarheeb Still raced in and punched the ball out of the tight end’s hands, allowing Tony Jefferson to recover it.

The next time Buffalo had the ball, Allen faced second-and-9 from his own 38 when rookie Akheem Mesidor sacked him. On the next play, Khalil Mack got to Allen on third-and-13. As Allen was going down, Henley punched the ball out and recovered it.

The Chargers offense was handed the ball at Buffalo’s 34-yard line.

They quickly squandered another opportunity when Herbert threw the interception to Gardner-Johnson.

What the Chargers offense should look like was on display during their final drive. They moved 69 yards in seven plays behind a 23-yard pass to Harris, a 14-yarder to Kimani Vidal and a 29-yard completion to McConkey.

The play calling worked. Herbert was protected. The offense looked smooth.

The problem is that those moments have been far too infrequent.

The Chargers are 0-3 and now face the Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans and Ravens.

Can they win any of those games? Not with this offense.

So, again, where do Harbaugh, McDaniel and Herbert go from here?

The responsibility falls on all three of them.

Three games into the season, the Chargers have already dug themselves a significant hole. It won’t get any easier unless Harbaugh, McDaniel and Herbert can get on the same page and figure out why an offense that was supposed to take a step forward has instead spent three weeks getting in its own way.

Next comes a trip to Seattle to face the reigning Super Bowl champions and what might be the best defense in the NFL.

The Chargers will arrive with an offense that still looks disjointed and very little time left to figure out how to fix it.