For the first time since 2002, the Los Angeles Chargers (then of course of San Diego) are 3-0! And not just 3-0, but 3-0 all in AFC West play. So what have we learned about the Bolts through these 3 games?

The Q Breakout is Actually Here:

Quentin Johnston has now put together three performances that have completely flipped the narrative on the TCU product’s career. His most recent win was against reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II, who followed him on 86% of Johnston’s routes run. Johnston put up three receptions for 61 yards on routes run against Surtain, good for the most allowed by Denver’s CB1 in the last two seasons. Sunday’s performance included yet another impressive catch and run, a staple of Johnston’s game thus far in the season ... but also highlighted his ability to bring in contested catches. If he is able to continue to do he may make a legit run at becoming a true WR1 in an offense that features a career revival by Keenan Allen and a reliable Ladd McConkey in the slot. If that happens to be the case, the WR Room has gone from a concern to the best Justin Herbert has had in his career thus far.

Oronde Gadsden II: TE1

Now I don’t want to take a victory lap this early (I actually really want to), but there’s a reason why I spent so much of my Chargers preview of the tight end room gushing about the potential of the fifth-rounder out of Syracuse. The young WR converted to a TE took his first step towards realizing said potential on Sunday. In his first game active for the Bolts, he reeled in five catches on five targets for 46 yards, posting a team-high 84.0 PFF Grade in his NFL debut. The most notable impact was the fact that he was trusted by Justin Herbert in the most crucial of situations on the eventual game-winning drive, flashing his “excellent hands” that made him an intriguing draft prospect in the first place. There should be no reason that Gadsden II falls behind Conklin or Dissly on the depth chart after proving to be a trustworthy target when it mattered most, and there most certainly is no excuse for him to ever be a healthy scratch again.

This Team is Far From Perfect

The Chargers are 3-0, and I love that more than words can express. The Chargers are also not a perfect or even great roster at this moment. The offensive line depth issues finally reared their head as Justin Herbert faced a 54% pressure rate on Sunday (That's higher than Patrick Mahomes against Tampa Bay in that Super Bowl.) The pass rush was objectively bad–and is now non-existent with the current Khalil Mack-less unit–and the secondary completely fell apart on Sunday as evidenced by the stunning PFF grades posted by Donte Jackson (29.5), Alohi Gilman (29.6), and Tarheeb Still (52.2).

Time will tell if that secondary blow-up was an anomaly or if this unit drastically overperformed in Weeks 1 and 2, and was just bailed out by Bo Nix batting .000 on the deep ball on Sunday. As far as the first two points ... if Mehki Becton misses Week 4 due to his concussion, an already rough O-line will be forced to see a dangerous New York Giants pass rush in a situation that could further expose the Chargers' biggest weakness offensively. L.A.'s pass rush being as shaky as it is will only amplify the issues on the back end defensively for the Bolts if they are what they seem.

The AFC West is Must-Win Now

Going from talking about all of the blatant weaknesses of this team to claiming a divisional title is the bare minimum is a hilarious 180, but such is the way the football world works. The Chargers have beaten each of their divisional opponents, and all three other teams are 1-2. Simply put, the Chargers are in a position to not look back after coming out of the gate on fire. With a matchup against a Giants team hoping for a potential Jaxson Dart start, 4-0 is not just within reach, but expected.

Frankly, with the Las Vegas Raiders being the latest on Chip Kelly’s list of things he’s ruined, the Denver Broncos facing the very real regression/sophomore slump of Bo Nix, and the Kansas City Chiefs' dysfunction and makeshift receiving room, the Chargers absolutely need to win the division to prove that the Jim Harbaugh era is real and this is not the same old Chargers. A wild card berth, while still welcome, is no longer the expectation for the 2025 Chargers. They absolutely must dethrone the Chiefs and be the first Chargers team to win the AFC West since 2009.