Both the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans began the 2024 NFL season with promising setups. Each team boasted talented quarterbacks—Justin Herbert for the Chargers and C.J. Stroud for the Texans—along with experienced head coaches, Jim Harbaugh and DeMeco Ryans, who have previously led successful teams. The season started with two home games, which typically offer a strategic advantage. However, after two weeks, both teams are facing uphill battles just to reach the playoffs, let alone achieve a deep postseason run. The Texans dropped to 0-2 after a 20-6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, while the Chargers joined them with a 26-14 defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders. Despite some defensive improvements, the Texans struggled offensively in Week 2. Stroud completed only 30 of 55 passes for 353 yards, was sacked four times, and failed to throw a touchdown. The running game was also ineffective, with the team gaining just 18 yards on 14 carries. Coach Ryans noted that the team was outplayed up front, which limited their ability to run the ball and forced them into long passing situations. Meanwhile, Herbert, the Chargers' quarterback, faced similar challenges. He completed 56% of his passes for 192 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss to the Raiders. This marked a decline from his Week 1 performance, where he had thrown for 209 yards with a 63% completion rate. The Chargers' offensive line and overall execution were also problematic, with multiple drops, penalties, and fumbles. Coach Harbaugh acknowledged the team is losing in the "margins" and emphasized the need for better execution moving forward. Both teams now face daunting odds to reach the playoffs. Since the NFL expanded the postseason to 14 teams in 2020, only 16% of teams that started 0-2 have made the playoffs. In NFL history, only three teams have started 0-2 and still won a Super Bowl. For both the Chargers and Texans, this was a key goal heading into the season. The Texans, at least, have prior experience with such a start—they began last season 0-3 but still made the playoffs. Stroud acknowledged the need for accountability and improvement, while Harbaugh remained optimistic, insisting the team must "fight its way out" of the current situation.