It’s been a strange start to the season across the NFL, and that begins with the Los Angeles Chargers. They are one of five remaining undefeated teams in the AFC, which leads them to a matchup with the 2-0 Steelers in Week 3.
There are plenty of crazy numbers across the board for the Chargers, as we’ve specifically seen a major change in their offensive philosophy.
Here are some stats of the wild through two weeks of the 2024 season.
2012
Ryan Mathews was in his third NFL season. Keenan Allen was in his third and final year in college. Malcom Floyd was the team’s leading receiver, and Norv Turner was head coach of the Chargers. That’s right, 2012 was the last time that the Bolts started the season 2-0.
Unfortunately, they finished that campaign 7-9, which included a 3-9 stretch after winning the first two contests. It ended up being Turner’s last season as coach. Let’s hope the season ends differently this time around, but the vibes are quite high in Los Angeles for the time being.
266
Who would’ve thought the Chargers would have the league’s leading rusher after two weeks? Many assumed that it would be a split backfield in Los Angeles, and that has remained partially true. Despite that, J.K. Dobbins leads the league with 166 rushing yards after two weeks. His insane efficiency isn’t exactly sustainable, but he’s become a great story to start the season. Perhaps most importantly, he leads the league in forced missed tackles. He seems to be finally healthy, and it’s shown with his burst and explosion. Not to mention, the Chargers got him on a complete bargain of a deal at $1.6 million for one year.
135
The Chargers offense is averaging just 135 passing yards through the first two weeks of the season, which ranks 28th in the NFL. Quarterback Justin Herbert hasn’t been asked to do as much this season, and it’s worked to the point of back-to-back victories. The lack of playmakers is a large reason for the low passing numbers, in addition to Jim Harbaugh’s tendency to run the ball. Herbert is averaging exactly half of his career yards per game, and at some point, the Chargers will need to see more from this aspect of their offense.