Chargers flop again as Jim Harbaugh falls to 0-2 for first time as a head coach while surprising Raiders improve to 2-0

The Chargers dropped to 0-2 on Sunday, falling to the Raiders 26-14 in yet another putrid offensive performance at home.

Justin Herbert had another rough game, being picked twice, and the Chargers fumbled six times, their most in a game since 1987. They lost only one of them, but it was a killer: Omarion Hampton coughed it up in Las Vegas territory with the Chargers trailing 17-14 with less than four minutes remaining.

The Raiders capitalized, with Kirk Cousins hitting Cody White — who entered Sunday with one career touchdown — on his second TD of the game. Cousins threw for three scores, and Tre Tucker finished with a game-high 119 receiving yards and a score.

New head coach Klint Kubiak has led the Raiders to their first 2-0 start since 2021, which is coincidentally the last time the franchise made the playoffs. Bill Callahan in 2002 was the last first-year Raiders coach to start 2-0.

Jim Harbaugh has never started a season 0-2 as a head coach — in the NFL or college football. Oh, and the Chargers' schedule suddenly gets very thorny , with three of the next four on the road and some heavyweight opponents awaiting.

His quarterback is struggling. Even star left tackle Joe Alt had a nightmare game going up against Maxx Crosby , who helped coax Alt into four penalties — including a hold resulting in a safety in the final few minutes while the Chargers still nominally had a chance to come back.

The Chargers, who flopped badly in a Week 1 home loss to the Cardinals, opened the game with a missed field goal, two quick punts and an interception. The Raiders didn't exactly set the world on fire offensively, but they did strike first with Cousins hitting Tucker on a 40-yard TD.

The Chargers tied it on Hampton's 1-yard TD run, but the Raiders took a 10-7 edge into halftime after Matt Gay 's 59-yard field goal.

After the Chargers' defense held the Raiders to a three-and-out on the opening drive of the third quarter, Justin Herbert led a strong touchdown drive to give the Chargers a 14-10 lead.

It didn't last long. The Raiders matched them with their own 74-yard scoring drive, with Cousins hitting White — primarily a special teamer — on just his second career TD reception, giving them a 17-14 lead. Not a bad grab for a guy with 11 receptions entering Sunday.

The Raiders gave the Chargers a chance when they came out of a defensive timeout with 12 men on the field for Los Angeles ' fourth-and-1 play, keeping the drive alive. That's when Hampton coughed up the fumble that Jeremy Chinn ran back 43 yards.

The Raiders' unexpectedly strong start has given their season a new perspective. The Chargers now have to find a way to pick up the pieces after a disastrous 0-2 start, losing to two teams who were near the bottom of the standings a year ago.