The Chargers have emerged with three straight wins to open the 2025 season — all against AFC West rivals.
At 3-0 for the first time in 23 years, the Bolts are one of six teams in the NFL that have yet to lose, and it's thanks in large part to contributions all around the roster.
But it's also been helped a lot by the elite play of none other than Justin Herbert.
Herbert had his second 300-yard passing game of the season Sunday afternoon against the Broncos, leading the team back from a touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter.
He's been nothing short of elite through the first three weeks, and CBS Sports’ John Breech believes there hasn't been a better player so far in 2025.
Breech wrote:
If the MVP award was handed out after three weeks, it would probably have to go to Justin Herbert. With the Chargers trailing 20-13 in the fourth quarter, Herbert turned into a magician and made the lead disappear. During the game's final quarter, he was nearly perfect, completing 12 of 15 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. The addition of Keenan Allen is also looking like one of the more underrated signings of the offseason. Allen caught seven passes for 65 yards and a TD. With the win, the Chargers are now the first team in 19 years to start 3-0 by winning three straight divisional games. At this point, they definitely feel like the favorite in the AFC West.
Browse through live action photos of the Bolts Week 3 matchup against the Denver Broncos at SoFI Stadium!
S Tony Jefferson (23)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
G Zion Johnson (77)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
K Cameron Dicker (11) and P JK Scott (16)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
LB Daiyan Henley (0), OLB Bud Dupree (48) and CB Tarheeb Still (29)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
S Alohi Gilman (32)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
S Alohi Gilman (32)
S Alohi Gilman (32)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
WR Derius Davis (12)
RB Najee Harris (22)
C Bradley Bozeman (75) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
G Mekhi Becton (73), C Bradley Bozeman (75), G Zion Johnson (77), QB Justin Herbert (10) and T Joe Alt (76)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and LB Troy Dye (43)
LB Troy Dye (43)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
RB Hassan Haskins (28) and LB Marlowe Wax (58)
LB Daiyan Henley (0), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and DL Naquan Jones (96)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and DL Naquan Jones (96)
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S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Benjamin St-Juste (24)
CB Benjamin St-Juste (24) and S Tony Jefferson (23)
CB Tarheeb Still (29) and CB Benjamin St-Juste (24)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10) and RB Najee Harris (22)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
RB Najee Harris (22)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10) and TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
DL Teair Tart (90)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
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S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
OLB Bud Dupree (48) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Alohi Gilman (32), DL Teair Tart (90) and CB Benjamin St-Juste (24)
DL Teair Tart (90)
DL Teair Tart (90)
CB Donte Jackson (26)
WR Derius Davis (12)
DB Ja'Sir Taylor (36) and LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53)
WR Derius Davis (12)
WR Derius Davis (12)
WR Derius Davis (12)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
LB Troy Dye (43)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
S Alohi Gilman (32) and DL Teair Tart (90)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Derius Davis (12)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1) and G Zion Johnson (77)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and RB Omarion Hampton (8)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
G Zion Johnson (77) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8) and Running Backs Coach Kiel McDonald
S Alohi Gilman (32)
CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Tony Jefferson (23)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
T Joe Alt (76)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
G Zion Johnson (77)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
LB Troy Dye (43)
S Alohi Gilman (32), LB Daiyan Henley (0), DL Justin Eboigbe (92) and DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
T Joe Alt (76), TE Oronde Gadsden (86), WR Keenan Allen (13) and WR Quentin Johnston (1)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
TE Tyler Conklin (83) and WR Ladd McConkey (15)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
DL Naquan Jones (96), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Troy Dye (43)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and OLB Bud Dupree (48)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Alohi Gilman (32)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Alohi Gilman (32)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Alohi Gilman (32)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90)
OLB Kyle Kennard (54)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Alohi Gilman (32)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
OL Jamaree Salyer (68), C Bradley Bozeman (75), G Zion Johnson (77) and T Joe Alt (76)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
OLB Bud Dupree (48) and OLB Kyle Kennard (54)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
S Tony Jefferson (23) and S Alohi Gilman (32)
DB Ja'Sir Taylor (36) and OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
RB Hassan Haskins (28) and OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
OLB Bud Dupree (48)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
LB Daiyan Henley (0) and CB Donte Jackson (26)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
Breech also gave the Chargers a 'B+ grade' for the win that has helped them sit atop the AFC West through three weeks.
The Bolts have relied on the arm of Herbert significantly through the first three games, a much more pass-heavy approach that they showed late last season.
And that's why NFL.com's Judy Battista believes that the identity has now shifted and taken shape around No. 10's passing.
Battista wrote:
We know [running the ball] is what Jim Harbaugh says, but it's the passing game that has the Chargers at 3-0, with all of those wins against AFC West opponents… Justin Herbert has already thrown for 860 yards and six touchdowns this season. His dazzling escape from a sack, scramble to his left and throw across his body to Keenan Allen in the end zone put the Chargers in a position to win. Harbaugh makes no secret of his love for Herbert, and for now, at least, he is carrying the Chargers.
There's a long way to go on the rest of the 2025 season, but the Bolts have gotten off to the right start with an early two-game lead in the AFC West and one of three teams in the conference with a 3-0 record.
But there's no doubt the hot start gives the Chargers a boost according to The Athletic's Michael Silver, who has taken note of their level of play.
Silver wrote:
They chewed up the Chiefs. They ripped through the Raiders. And on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, when things began to look bleak, they bowed up and broke the Broncos…
Given that it was still technically summer at game's end, a proper coronation of the Chargers would be wildly premature. Yet their early ransacking of the AFC West gives them a huge psychological boost.
With Week 4 on deck, here are 5 things to know about the Chargers after Sunday's win.
