Chargers Power Rankings Roundup: The Descent Continues For Winless Bolts

The Chargers dropped to 0-5 after crumbling in the fourth quarter against the Broncos.

They had a real and legitimate chance to win this game, but a botched fourth-down call and weak ball security gave Denver the ball four consecutive drives from the Los Angeles 41-yard line or closer. When you only have a seven-point lead, that’s a quick and easy way to throw out your chances of leaving victorious.

Now, they enter the week prior to their bye still looking for the answers. Will they manage to find them while facing the undefeated Chiefs?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Let’s check out where the Bolts landed in this week’s power rankings.

Sports Illustrated – #28

“Justin Herbert’s turnovers doomed the Chargers again, as they fell to 0-5 in 2026 with a loss to Denver.”

“L.A. led 17-10 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to get a win. The schedule doesn’t lighten up for the Chargers, and they’re an extreme long shot to make the playoffs. They fell from +10000 to +20000 to win the Super Bowl.” – Conor Orr

The Athletic – #30

“It’s jarring how bad things have gotten for the Chargers. Justin Herbert managed just 121 passing yards Sunday with one touchdown, one interception and two fumbles. L.A. can’t run the ball either. And the strength of schedule isn’t letting up anytime soon.” – Josh Kendall and Chad Graff

NFL.com – #30

“If I could eject myself from the Chargers experience, I would. The banged-up offensive line can’t protect Justin Herbert, who can’t keep himself from continuing to make mistakes. He’s loose with the ball under pressure (leading to the costly fumble we saw in the fourth quarter), his processing seems to be damaged by the weekly struggles (seen in the late interception he threw directly to Brandon Jones), and there’s no clear path out of this mess. The Bolts gave away a winnable game Sunday, one in which they appeared poised to prevail before self-destructing in spectacular fashion. This isn’t your typical Chargering; it’s much, much worse.” – Nick Shook

Pro Football Talk – #30

“The price for a potential Justin Herbert trade is dropping by the week.” – Mike Florio

CBS Sports – #30

‘‘At 0-5, their season is over. The Chargers doing Chargers things to lose to the Broncos Sunday is so on point. Jim Harbaugh needs to look in the mirror.” – Pete Pricso

ESPN – #30

‘‘According to defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary, a key emphasis for the Chargers during practice last week was the defense needing to rise up against a “sudden change opportunity.” But they gave up points three times in four post-turnover possessions Sunday (a touchdown and two field goals) and the fourth was a missed field goal attempt. It’s not an easy task; with the offense giving away a league-high 13 turnovers, short fields are becoming common.” – Anthony Gharib

Sporting News – #31

“The Chargers are losing everyone again to injuries and also losing a lot of close games because of little mistakes. The ultimate “Chargering” continues to plague Jim Harbaugh. They are now up to a league-high 13 giveaways in 5 games.” – Vinnie Ieyer