Los Angeles
Chargers
2-0
45
FINAL
24
Buffalo
Bills
1-1
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive Week 3 matchup, the Los Angeles Chargers topped the Buffalo Bills 45-24, asserting their dominance early in the 2026 season. With this victory, the Chargers improve their record and solidify their position as contenders in the league.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert put on a spectacular performance, throwing for 415 yards and five touchdowns, showcasing his elite playmaking ability. Ladd McConkey was his primary target, racking up 167 receiving yards and contributing significantly to the offensive onslaught. Meanwhile, James Cook III of the Bills had a strong showing on the ground, rushing for 156 yards, but it wasn't enough to keep pace with the Chargers' high-octane offense.
Defensively, the Chargers managed to contain the Bills' attack while making key plays when it mattered most. Although Ed Oliver recorded a sack for Buffalo and Christian Benford secured an interception, the Chargers' defense, led by Elijah Molden's three tackles, played a crucial role in limiting the Bills' scoring opportunities. The game turned decisively in the Chargers' favor during the second quarter when Herbert connected with McConkey for a long touchdown, effectively shifting the momentum and putting Buffalo on their heels.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | QB | 31 | 19 | 61% | 415 | 5 | 1 | 131.3 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 25 | 16 | 64% | 174 | 1 | 2 | 64.4 |
| DJ Moore | WR | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Joshua Palmer | WR | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Cook III | HB | 19 | 156 | 8.2 | 18 | 2 | 58 | 0 |
| Omarion Hampton | HB | 13 | 81 | 6.2 | 19 | 1 | 36 | 0 |
| Josh Allen | QB | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Ty Chandler | HB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Ray Davis | HB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greg Dortch | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jackson Hawes | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DJ Moore | WR | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 9 | 167 | 18.6 | 47 | 1 | 39 | 0 |
| Brenen Thompson | WR | 4 | 139 | 34.8 | 83 | 3 | 59 | 0 |
| DJ Moore | WR | 4 | 69 | 17.3 | 13 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| James Cook III | HB | 7 | 48 | 6.9 | 45 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| Tre' Harris | WR | 1 | 38 | 38.0 | 31 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| KeAndre Lambert-Smith | WR | 1 | 32 | 32.0 | 15 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Khalil Shakir | WR | 2 | 28 | 14.0 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Oronde Gadsden | TE | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Joshua Palmer | WR | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Jackson Hawes | TE | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Calvin Austin | WR | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Omarion Hampton | HB | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derwin James Jr | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Cam Hart | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Benford | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Elijah Molden | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Terrel Bernard | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ed Oliver | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C.J. Gardner-Johnson | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordan Hancock | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tarheeb Still | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Maxwell Hairston | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Teair Tart | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daiyan Henley | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Bishop | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Genesis Smith | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sam Franklin Jr | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Jackson | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| TJ Parker | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorian Williams | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Joe Andreessen | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamaree Caldwell | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tuli Tuipulotu | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Denzel Perryman | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Mack | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Akheem Mesidor | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| R.J. Mickens | FS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Dee Alford | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Dru Phillips | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Bass | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 49 |
| Cameron Dicker | K | 1 | 1 | 6 | 44 |

