Chargers 2025 schedule analysis: Circle the date, easiest, toughest stretches

Circle the date: Sept. 5 vs. Kansas City Chiefs in Sao Paulo, Brazil (Week 1) | To win their first AFC West title since the 2009 season, the Chargers must beat the Chiefs, something they've struggled to do recently. L.A. last beat Kansas City in a road game in September 2021. 

Perhaps this is the year the Chargers catch the Chiefs, who have won nine consecutive division titles. Kansas City seems to have cracks after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

This offseason, L.A. gave quarterback Justin Herbert more weapons. In free agency, they signed running back Najee Harris (one year, $5.25M), who rushed for 1,043 yards in 17 regular-season games with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024. 

In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chargers grabbed North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton (pick No. 22) and Ole Miss wide receiver Tre Harris (pick No. 55). In 2024, Hampton rushed for 1,660 yards in 12 games, while Harris had 1,030 receiving yards in eight games.

Perhaps these offseason additions will give the Chargers the juice they need to beat Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.

Toughest stretch: Weeks 14-17 | This stretch could come at a bad time for the Chargers, especially if they're fighting for a playoff spot. 

In Week 14, they host the Eagles on "Monday Night Football." As of Tuesday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives the Eagles the best odds of winning Super Bowl LX (+650).

After facing the Chiefs in Kansas City in Week 15, they have another road game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys went 7-10 last season, but if three-time Pro Bowl QB Dak Prescott and new WR George Pickens click, they could test the Chargers secondary. Pickens had 174 receptions for 2,841 yards and 12 TD catches in three seasons with the Steelers. 

Herbert tossed four interceptions in a 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans in the 2024 AFC wild-card round. Will he struggle again in the home rematch against Houston in Week 17? 

Easiest stretch: Weeks 9-13 | The Chargers play just one team (the Steelers) that made the playoffs last season during Weeks 9-13. 

Even with rookie QB Cam Ward (pick No. 1), the Titans aren't expected to improve much after going 3-14 last season. NFL Media's Cynthia Frelund projects them to win 5.8 games.   

Free-agent QB Aaron Rodgers, 41, has yet to sign with Pittsburgh. If he doesn't, that may force Pittsburgh to start QB Mason Rudolph, who has a 9-8-1 starting record in the regular season. 

This offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders hired new head coach Pete Carroll, a Super Bowl champion, but he could be entering a challenging rebuild after the team went 4-13 last season. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars, meanwhile, hired rookie HC Liam Coen, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator. It's unclear whether he has what it takes to turn around a team that has missed the playoffs three of its past four seasons. 

Main takeaway: The league thinks the Chargers could be on the verge of something big | In their first season under HC Jim Harbaugh in 2024, the Chargers went 11-6 and made the playoffs. 

While they still haven't won a playoff game since the 2018 season, the league may think the Chargers are on track to become a legit Super Bowl contender under Harbaugh. Thus, it has scheduled them for five prime-time games.