It has been so hard to see the Chargers have success.

Back to back 11-win seasons, but followed by two post season blowouts in the playoffs.

Add on really poor play at the end of the regular season where a battered Justin Herbert has not excelled.

If you thought that was hard, take a look at this 2026-NFL schedule.

Playoff team?  How about surviving the schedule?

Yes, they open the season with likely easy wins at home vs lowly Arizona and the perennial loser Raiders.

But from mid-September into November, how do they survive all this.  From Week 3-on:

..at Buffalo..Josh Allen and all that firepower.

..at Seattle..The Super Bowl Seahawks

..Denver..Bo Nix and the vastly improved Broncos

..at Kansas City..Patrick Mahomes and a very different offense at Arrowhead.

..at LA Rams..Matthew Stafford-Sean McVay and an NFC power

That’s a 5-week haul that could be a ‘Death March’

Then add in right after that, the Bolts have two more villains they have to face

..Houston..Nemesis QB-CJ Stroud

..at Baltimore..Lamar Jackson and his new coach, the ex Bolts star Jesse Minter. 

That’s a 7-week stretch of games that could make their season, or maim their hopes.

Complicating all is the fact the Chargers have 9-road games this year and 8-at home.  And of course they play 4-of-5 on the road early in the fall.  Might that be their downfall.

And then there are late season road games..at Tampa and at Denver to finish the year.

The Chargers seem to have alot of obstacles built infront of them.

Fix the offensive line?  Integrate so many things for Mike McDaniels and Justin Herbert?  Do they have the right mix on the defensive front seven where key guys left?

Don’t understand the snub on national television considering Justin Herbert’s dynamics.  1-Sunday night game.  1-on Monday.  1-on Thursday.

This has to be one of the hardest schedules the Bolts have taken on.  Do they survive early fall?  I have my doubts.

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WEEK	DATE			OPPONENT	TIME (PT)	TELEVISION
1	Sun.	Sept. 13		Arizona Cardinals	1:25 pm	CBS
2	Sun.	Sept. 20		Las Vegas Raiders	1:05 pm	CBS
3	Sun.	Sept. 27		at Buffalo Bills	10:00 am	FOX
4	Sun.	Oct. 4		at Seattle Seahawks	1:25 pm	CBS
5	Sun.	Oct. 11		Denver Broncos	1:05 pm	CBS
6	Sun.	Oct. 18		at Kansas City Chiefs	1:25 pm	CBS
7	Sun.	Oct. 25		BYE	—	—
8	Sun.	Nov. 1		at Los Angeles Rams	1:05 pm	FOX
9	Sun.	Nov. 8		Houston Texans	1:05 pm	CBS
10	Mon.	Nov. 16		at Baltimore Ravens	5:15 pm	ESPN
11	Sun.	Nov. 22		New York Jets	1:05 pm	FOX
12	Sun.	Nov. 29		New England Patriots	5:20 pm	NBC
13	Sun.	Dec. 6		at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	10:00 am	CBS
14	Sun.	Dec. 13		at Las Vegas Raiders	1:05 pm	CBS
15	Thurs.	Dec. 17		San Francisco 49ers	5:15 pm	PRIME VIDEO
16	Sun.	Dec. 27		at Miami Dolphins	10:00 am	FOX
17	TBD			Kansas City Chiefs	TBD	TBD
18	TBD			at Denver Broncos	TBD	TBD
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