The 0-7 Chargers Keep Saying Hard No, And My Chair Rule Says They Mean It
The Chargers are 0-7 with the trade deadline Tuesday, and Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport report that calls on Justin Herbert, Ladd McConkey and Khalil Mack keep getting hard nos. Folks, I am a Raiders man, and my own chair rule says they mean it. I am picking them over Houston today.
Filed Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 9:29 AM CST from Outside Tulsa, Oklahoma
Folks, a disclosure before I argue anything. I am a Raiders man. The Raiders beat the Chargers 26-14 in Week 2, per ESPN, and the Chargers visit Las Vegas on Dec. 13. When Saturday's trade reporting landed with the Chargers at 0-7, I poured a celebratory bourbon and cola at an hour I decline to disclose.
Discount everything below by one Raiders fan. Once the bourbon wore off, my own rule walked me somewhere a Raiders fan has no business standing.
Exhibit A Is A Stack Of Hard Nos
On Saturday, Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported for ESPN that the Chargers "continue to tell teams that they have no interest in trading Khalil Mack, and the veteran pass rusher will not be going anywhere before Tuesday's deadline, according to sources." Jim Harbaugh told reporters, "I want Khalil Mack here," and added, "Khalil Mack wants to be here."
The same story says the rest of the roster gets the same answer: "Los Angeles also doesn't like the message of giving up on the season. Calls from rival general managers on Justin Herbert, Ladd McConkey and others have received hard nos." Schefter repeated it Sunday morning with Mack added to the list.
Deadline week prices every winless roster like an estate sale. Many fans on X wanted Mack moved for picks, and a smaller group heard a message to the locker room. Both camps are arguing about whether the Chargers should sell. My rule answers a different question.
Exhibit B Is My Own Chair Rule, Run In Reverse
On Oct. 31, I told you about my old truck lot: "when a customer's first offer came in low, I said no and kept them in the chair." I called it the chair rule: "whoever says no and keeps talking is selling."
The Chargers are running it in reverse. A hard no has no number in it. On my lot, that was me walking you to your car. By my own rule, a team that says no and hangs up is not selling, and I believe them.
A seller who keeps you in the chair wants your money. A seller who walks you to your car wants his truck.
The best argument against them belongs to Field Yates of ESPN: "The Chargers rebuffing trade interest on their young players and starting QB is totally reasonable." Then: "But if they don’t listen hard on offers they might get for veteran pieces ... it’s just nonsensical." Yates has a real point about the veterans. He is arguing about what the Chargers should do, though, and my rule only reads what they will do.
The Exhibits I Would Rather Not Show You
A prosecutor who hides bad exhibits deserves to lose. Per ESPN's schedule page, the Chargers are 0-7, scoring 14.1 points per game, and have not scored more than 23 in any game. Justin Herbert's ESPN game log shows 1,398 yards, 5 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, and he has been sacked 23 times. He has not thrown more than one touchdown pass in any game.
NFL Stats noted this is the Chargers' first 0-7 start since 2000, and added, "Their QB that season: Jim Harbaugh." I say that with respect. The man coaching them has seen one of these from the huddle, and I would trust him on Mack before any trade machine.
My side of the case is shorter. Houston is only 2-5, with losses of 36-31 to Buffalo and 34-30 to Dallas. Kickoff is 3:05 p.m. CT at SoFi Stadium. In fairness, both Houston wins came on the road. Still, a team that refuses to quit gets to prove it this afternoon, and I am leaning.
Gordy, I opened the box and printed every exhibit in it. The rule told me the Chargers are not selling. The rest is me, and I know how reckless it is to back an 0-7 team. So here is my call. The Chargers will beat the Texans on Sunday. It goes on the Our Calls tracker and gets graded tonight after the game. Floor is a word invented by cowards.
With my Nov. 6 Henry call, that makes two Chargers games I need this month. Las Vegas does not need to know.
What I Am Doing About It
- I am not waiting on a deadline rescue for Khalil Mack, in IDP or anywhere else. ESPN reports he "will not be going anywhere before Tuesday's deadline".
- I am treating Justin Herbert as a matchup-dependent superflex piece. Calls on him got hard nos, so no new trade value is coming before Tuesday.
- I am holding Ladd McConkey. Per Schefter, calls on him "keep receiving hard nos", so there is no deadline move to chase.
- I am not chasing a Chargers fire sale in dynasty. ESPN says they are not acting winless "in trade discussions regarding any of their players."
- I am checking the Chargers injury report before kickoff. The team account lists David Njoku, Kayode Awosika, Denzel Perryman and Brenen Thompson as doubtful.
- I am revisiting tonight. The call gets graded after the game, and if it misses, you read it here first.
Chief's Verdict
Do not wait on a Mack trade, treat Herbert as a matchup-dependent superflex piece, hold McConkey, skip the dynasty fire sale and check the injury report before kickoff. My call gets graded tonight. The Chargers will beat the Texans on Sunday.
Gordy’s Rebuttal
Unsolicited, as always
Chief spent Saturday enjoying the Chargers' trade news more than a Raiders fan should admit and Sunday morning picking them to win, which is the most Chief sequence of events since he bought a boat without checking for a motor. Neighbors, I concede the chair rule reads this one correctly, and ESPN's reporting on Mack backs it up. But believing a team won't sell is a long way from believing it will win. The Chargers are scoring 14.1 points per game, and the chair rule has never scored a point for anybody. My father raised me on Cleveland football. He taught me to stay in my seat until the final whistle, and he never said a word about hope.
Keep Digging
The Colts Are Taking Calls On Daniel Jones, And The Tape Is Back On Jonathan Taylor
Three days before the trade deadline, Tom Pelissero says the most likely outcome for Jonathan Taylor is staying in Indianapolis, and Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport report the Colts have held trade talks on Daniel Jones. Neighbors, my Week 8 carry test came back ugly, and I still trust the masking tape.
The Masking Tape Came Off Jonathan Taylor, And The Colts Are Talking Price
Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported Saturday morning that the Colts are now open to trading Jonathan Taylor, and Tom Pelissero says they already turned down a 2027 second-round pick plus another pick. Folks, the masking tape lasted four days. I say Taylor gets traded before the Nov. 10 deadline.
The Colts Sold Quenton Nelson And Taped A Not For Sale Sign On Jonathan Taylor
The 2-5 Colts traded guard Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the 49ers on Tuesday, and Adam Schefter says ownership does not want to trade Jonathan Taylor. Neighbors, the best man in front of the running back just left, and I think the running back stays.