0-3 NFL Teams: Why the Chargers and Dolphins Are Already in Trouble

Two 0-3 Teams, Two Very Different Problems

Three weeks into the NFL season, the Chargers and Dolphins are both staring up at the standings with zero wins — but the reasons behind their slow starts couldn't be more different. And if you're trying to figure out which team is more likely to turn things around, the answer starts with separating coaching failures from talent gaps.

Jim Harbaugh's Chargers Have Talent — and No Excuses

The Chargers were supposed to be a team on the rise. Justin Herbert is still one of the more talented quarterbacks in football, and the roster has enough pieces to compete. So when a team like this starts 0-3, the finger points at the sideline. Jim Harbaugh built his reputation on physical, disciplined football that wins close games — but so far this season, the Chargers have found new and creative ways to lose winnable games. That's on scheme, on situational decision-making, and on a head coach who's supposed to be the steady hand. When the roster isn't the problem, the coach has to own the results.

The Dolphins Simply Don't Have Enough

Miami's situation is the opposite story. This isn't a coaching problem as much as it is a talent problem. The Dolphins have struggled to generate consistent offense, their defense has been gashed, and the roster construction over the past few offseasons is starting to show real cracks. Tua Tagovailoa's supporting cast isn't deep enough to mask weaknesses elsewhere, and when the talent gap is this visible, it doesn't matter who's calling plays — the results tend to look the same.

Why the Distinction Matters

This isn't just a fun debate for talk radio. How a franchise diagnoses its 0-3 start shapes every decision it makes for the rest of the season — and beyond. If the Chargers front office believes the roster is good enough, expect pressure to mount on Harbaugh's coaching staff as the losses pile up. If the Dolphins front office is honest with itself, this season could quickly pivot toward evaluating young players and setting up for a very different offseason, one that might include hard conversations about the quarterback position and significant roster turnover.

What Comes Next

For the Chargers, the next few weeks will be a referendum on Harbaugh's ability to fix in-game issues with a roster that shouldn't be 0-3. For the Dolphins, it's about survival mode — finding out which young players can be part of the next era while the current group works through a talent deficit that isn't getting solved in-season. Neither team wants to be having this conversation in October, but both are now firmly on the clock.