The LA Chargers might be kicking off their 2026 season with what looks like two easy Ws, but hold up, Emerald City, because our Seattle Seahawks just dropped a bomb on their ‘daunting’ schedule predictions. The Bolts, fresh off winning 11 games in each of the last two seasons, deserve some respect for that consistency, but man, this 2026 schedule looks absolutely brutal. What’s even wilder is that the outlook for that tough slate changed “ever-so slightly” *after* our Hawks beat the Patriots 13-10, and also after the 49ers-Rams game. Our victory actually stirred the pot for them, which is wild to think about.
Easy Wins? Maybe Not So Fast
The Chargers start their season against the Arizona Cardinals, a team widely considered “one of the worst in the NFL.” With journeyman Jacoby Brissett named their starting quarterback, their ceiling is immediately capped. Sure, they’ve got names like Michael Wilson, Trey McBride, and the 2026 third-overall pick Jeremiyah Love, but the source says Arizona just can’t compete consistently. Their defense was the 27th-ranked unit in 2025, bottom-10 in both pass and run defense. This should be a walk in the park for Mike McDaniel in his first real game as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, leading to a 1-0 start.
Then comes Week 2 against the Raiders. Star tight end Brock Bowers just had meniscus surgery and is expected to miss “at least one game, maybe two.” Multiple reports suggest it could be longer, meaning the Chargers probably won’t even need to game plan for him. While the Raiders swapped Geno Smith for Kirk Cousins at QB, how much better is that really? The last time Cousins faced the Chargers’ defense, he got picked off four times with zero touchdowns, and he had a “MUCH better cast of skill players” then compared to now. Beyond Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty, good luck finding a casual fan who knows another Raiders wideout. The Chargers are looking at another dominant win, pushing them to 2-0.
The Gauntlet Awakens, Thanks To Our Hawks
Here’s where it gets real. Week 3, the Chargers travel to Buffalo to face the Bills, and that’s just the first step into an “absolute gauntlet.” From Week 3 to Week 10, they’re staring down four former NFL MVPs, the reigning Super Bowl champions, plus two other teams that have won a Lombardi Trophy this decade. This brutal stretch is what will “make or break the 2026 season” for them. And get this: the general outlook on this already-daunting schedule actually shifted *after* our Seahawks clinched that 13-10 victory over the Patriots. Our win, combined with the 49ers-Rams result, subtly ratcheted up the perceived difficulty for the Chargers. It just goes to show you, when our Hawks play, the whole league feels it.
So, while the Chargers might bag two early wins, that trip to Buffalo in Week 3 is a massive fork in the road. That whole eight-week stretch is going to define their year, and after our Hawks already played a part in making their schedule look even tougher, you know the whole league is watching to see how they handle it. Bring on the rest of the regular season, Emerald City, because our guys are already making waves!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bolts from the Blue.
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