The Chargers are 0-7 this season.
Here's what you need to know about the Bolts ahead of Week 9.
1. What happened in Week 8?
The Chargers once again found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard.
Now, seven games into the 2026 season, the Bolts are 0-7 and remain the NFL's only winless team.
The Chargers lost 24-9 on Sunday against the Rams in a game they lead early, but a rough end to the first half bled over into a disappointing second-half effort.
Leading 9-3, the Bolts defense allowed a last-second touchdown before halftime and then gave up another scoring drive coming out of the break.
The Chargers offense, which had managed just three field goals in the first half, failed to even reach the red zone in the final two quarters.
The Bolts offense has not found the end zone since the third quarter of Week 5.
2. What is ailing the offense?
Well, pretty much everything.
The lack of touchdowns recently means the offense ranks last in the NFL in points per game at 14.1.
But turnovers have also plagued the unit as they have a league-high 17 so far this season.
Justin Herbert threw two more interceptions Sunday — which directly led to 10 Rams points — and leads all quarterbacks with 10 picks this year.
"I've got to be smarter with the ball," Herbert said.
He later added: "It's just bad decisions, poor mistakes by me and something that I have to clean up."
Overall, the Bolts offense has been disappointing across the board.
As of Monday morning, the Chargers rank last in EPA per play (-0.209) and success rate (39.5 percent).
3. Is the defense playing well?
For the most part.
While the unit was hampered by those back-to-back touchdown drives, Chris O'Leary's unit played well for the majority of Sunday's game.
Tarheeb Still had his first interception of the year while Tuli Tuipulotu had a sack.
But the unit continues to be hurt by short fields and a few lapses here and there in games.
Overall, the Chargers defense ranks ninth in both EPA per play (-0.023) and success rate (45.8 percent).
4. Who do the Chargers play in Week 9?
The Bolts will see a familiar foe as the Houston Texans come to town.
The teams met in the playoffs after the 2024 season and they played at SoFi Stadium in Week 17 of the 2025 season.
The Bolts are still looking for success against Houston in the Jim Harbaugh Era as the Chargers dropped both of those meetings.
The Texans did not play in Week 8 and had a 2-5 record entering the bye week.
See the best game action from the Chargers' Week 8 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
P JK Scott (16)
LS Josh Harris (47)
LS Josh Harris (47)
RB Kimani Vidal (28) and LS Josh Harris (47)
LS Josh Harris (47), P JK Scott (16) and LB Troy Dye (43)
LS Josh Harris (47) and S Tony Jefferson (23)
OLB Khalil Mack (52)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
S Tony Jefferson (23) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53), S Tony Jefferson (23) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
CB Tarheeb Still (4)
CB Tarheeb Still (4)
CB Tarheeb Still (4)
CB Tarheeb Still (4) and DB Elijah Molden (2)
CB Tarheeb Still (4), DB Elijah Molden (2) and CB Cam Hart (20)
CB Tarheeb Still (4) and CB Cam Hart (20)
CB Tarheeb Still (4) and CB Cam Hart (20)
CB Cam Hart (20)
CB Cam Hart (20)
CB Tarheeb Still (4)
CB Tarheeb Still (4)
S Genesis Smith (22) and CB Tarheeb Still (4)
CB Tarheeb Still (4)
CB Tarheeb Still (4)
CB Tarheeb Still (4)
S Tony Jefferson (23), CB Cam Hart (20) and CB Tarheeb Still (4)
LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53), LB Daiyan Henley (0), CB Cam Hart (20) and CB Tarheeb Still (4)
S Tony Jefferson (23), CB Cam Hart (20) and CB Tarheeb Still (4)
CB Tarheeb Still (4) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Tarheeb Still (4) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
T Travis Burke (77), G Cole Strange (69), G Logan Taylor (65) and C/G Jake Slaughter (66)
WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (84)
LB Troy Dye (43)
LB Troy Dye (43)
S Genesis Smith (22)
OLB Akheem Mesidor (90)
CB Isas Waxter (37) and LB Troy Dye (43)
CB Isas Waxter (37)
S Genesis Smith (22) and CB Isas Waxter (37)
CB Isas Waxter (37), S Genesis Smith (22) and CB Tarheeb Still (4)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
S RJ Mickens (27)
T Travis Burke (77) and RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Kimani Vidal (28)
T Joe Alt (76)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
LB Troy Dye (43)
CB Isas Waxter (37)
CB Isas Waxter (37)
DL Justin Eboigbe (92), DL Dalvin Tomlinson (94) and DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
DL Nick Barrett (91)
DL Nick Barrett (91)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
TE Charlie Kolar (88), G Cole Strange (69), QB Justin Herbert (10) and G Logan Taylor (65)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Akheem Mesidor (90) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Akheem Mesidor (90) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Akheem Mesidor (90) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Akheem Mesidor (90) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
LB Troy Dye (43)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Tre Harris (9)
WR Tre Harris (9)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99) and WR Tre Harris (9)
WR Tre Harris (9)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86) and WR Tre Harris (9)
WR Tre Harris (9)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Keaton Michell (34)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50) and TE Charlie Kolar (88)
RB Kimani Vidal (28)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
K Cameron Dicker (11) and LS Josh Harris (47)
CB Isas Waxter (37)
CB Isas Waxter (37)
CB Tarheeb Still (4) and CB Isas Waxter (37)
CB Cam Hart (20) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
OLB Akheem Mesidor (90)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
WR Tre Harris (9)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
G Logan Taylor (65)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
DL Teair Tart (93)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
S Tony Jefferson (23) and CB Isas Waxter (37)
CB Cam Hart (20), S Tony Jefferson (23), CB Isas Waxter (37) and LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53)
DL Nick Barrett (91)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
OLB Khalil Mack (52)
S Tony Jefferson (23) and DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
DL Teair Tart (93)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
CB Tarheeb Still (4) and S RJ Mickens (27)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45), S RJ Mickens (27), CB Tarheeb Still (4) and DL Dalvin Tomlinson (94)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and CB Tarheeb Still (4)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Tre Harris (9)
WR Tre Harris (9)
WR Tre Harris (9)
DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
DL Teair Tart (93)
DL Teair Tart (93)
DL Teair Tart (93)
DL Teair Tart (93)
DL Teair Tart (93) and DL Dalvin Tomlinson (94)
DL Teair Tart (93)
DL Teair Tart (93) and DL Dalvin Tomlinson (94)
S RJ Mickens (27)
S RJ Mickens (27)
RB Keaton Michell (34)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
WR Derius Davis (12)
RB Kimani Vidal (28)
RB Kimani Vidal (28)
RB Kimani Vidal (28)
WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (84)
S Kendall Williamson (32) and WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (84)
S Kendall Williamson (32)
S Kendall Williamson (32)
OLB Akheem Mesidor (90)
OLB Akheem Mesidor (90)
RB Keaton Michell (34)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
5. How about draft picks?
As mentioned above, the Chargers are now the NFL's only team without a win in 2026.
As a result, based on the league standings, the Chargers currently hold the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The Chargers currently have seven picks in that draft, including all their own pick in the first five rounds.
According to The Athletic's projection model, the Bolts are most likely to finish with the No. 2 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
