The NFL’s highest-scoring team gets another chance to light up its massive scoreboard when Buffalo entertains the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday in the second regular-season game at the Bills’ new $2 billion stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y.
Through two regular-season games, nobody can match the Bills’ firepower. Buffalo has averaged 38.5 per game in victories over the Texans and Lions.
Buffalo enters Week 3 after a 41-31 victory over Detroit as Josh Allen lit up the housewarming party with five touchdowns. Allen was 20-of-31 passing for 248 yards and three touchdowns, plus 69 yards on the ground and two more scores.
James Cook III rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown for the Bills, while Dalton Kincaid caught eight passes for 95 yards and a score.
The Chargers have yet to win a game in two tries, but the Bills are treating their opponent as the team that had so much promise and playoff hype when the season began.
“I hope we’re desperate and our backs are against the wall,” Bills head coach Joe Brady said. “It’s the NFL. Every team, every single week you’re gonna have to be at your best football. And we’re gonna get their best, as we should.”
The game is a matchup of marquee quarterbacks in Allen and the Chargers’ Justin Herbert, but the Bills’ signal-caller will have his attention trained on a different part of the L.A. roster.
“Khalil Mack’s one of the best pass rushers in the last 20 or so years, and I think he still plays at a very high level,” Allen said. “I think their DBs are savvy. Derwin James is one of the better safeties in the league. And he’s not afraid to come down and lay the boom. I know that all too well, going back to my first start.”
That first start came in Week 2 of the 2018 season when Allen passed for 245 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted twice and sacked five times in the Chargers’ 31-20 victory. Buffalo won the next two matchups, 27-17 in 2020 and 24-22 in 2023.
The Chargers were upended 26-14 at home by the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday one week after they fell 26-14 to the Arizona Cardinals, also at home. The consecutive defeats came against teams that won a combined six games last season.
Herbert’s 200.5 passing yards per game — 23rd overall in the NFL — stands behind quarterbacks such as Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns and Malik Willis of the Miami Dolphins. He has two total TD passes against three interceptions and has been sacked five times.
A revamped offense under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has gained 289 yards per game to sit near the bottom third of the league.
“I trust those guys in the locker room, so I don’t think anyone has panicked or is worried because that’s not going to do us any good,” Herbert said. “It’s moving on to the next play and understanding we’re close. We’ve made mistakes and how do we fix them?”
Struggles on the offensive line have continued into 2026. Joe Alt is back from an ankle injury that required surgery but committed four penalties against the Raiders, including a holding call in the end zone that went for a safety.
“I feel very confident in saying it’s very close,” Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “But we’re always going to be seeking improvement.”
As injuries already have started to mount for Los Angeles, tight end David Njoku (leg) went on injured reserve, while left guard Trey Pipkins III (knee) did not practice Wednesday. The Chargers had six players miss practice because of injury, including hamstring issues for defensive back Elijah Molden and linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu.
Bills wide receiver D.J. Moore was able to participate in portions of practice on Wednesday and Thursday after what appeared to be a serious shoulder injury last Thursday forced him out of the game. Moore said “we’ll be good” when asked if he expected to play against the Chargers.
The Bills also have injuries to monitor into the weekend: wide receiver Keon Coleman (ankle), defensive lineman Ed Oliver (hip) and defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (illness) were the primary concerns to start the work week.
–Field Level Media
