When the 2023 NFL season began, both the Bills and Chargers profiled as potential Super Bowl candidates. But neither club has followed a smooth path to this point. Buffalo dropped its opener to the Jets on the night Aaron Rodgers went down, then later fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey amid a 6-6 start. Los Angeles, meanwhile, has been even worse, fielding a porous defense and cutting ties with both head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco following a fall to 5-9.
Now, in Week 16, the two sides will go head to head. And at least one of them still has a chance to fully right the ship in 2023. While the Chargers will be making their first appearance under interim head coach Giff Smith on Saturday, the Bills still have plenty to play for, aiming not only for a third straight win but to remain in the thick of the AFC wild card race.
What are the keys to their matchup? And how can you tune in? Here’s everything you need to know:
How to watch
Featured Game | Los Angeles Chargers vs. Buffalo Bills
Keys to the game
- Can the Chargers stop anything? Brandon Staley was probably headed for an exit no matter what, but he may have survived at least another week if L.A. hadn’t surrendered 63 points (!) to the ailing Raiders in Week 15. The Chargers defense has been a sieve all year, ranking 30th against the pass and 28th in scoring. Will the staffing shakeup at least spark some fight? It won’t get easier against Buffalo’s attack, especially with injuries at every level of the lineup, most notably to Joey Bosa and Nick Williams in the front seven.
- Will the Bills keep riding James Cook? Buffalo gave their lead ball carrier 25 carries against the Cowboys, and he ran all over Dallas’ otherwise respected defense, totaling 179 yards on the ground. It stands to reason Cook will be heavily involved once again, though L.A. has at least been a bit better defending the run, ranking in the middle of the pack there. It’s possible Cook could see…
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