The San Diego Chargers certainly needed some luck last season, such as a missed field goal by the Kansas City Chiefs in the final game of the regular season, in order to make the playoffs. However, once the Chargers got into the playoffs, they were pretty good. They won one game on the road in bad weather, dispatching the Cincinnati Bengals. They then went to Denver and pushed the eventual AFC champion Broncos deep into the fourth quarter before coming up just short. This team should feel confident that it can make improvements and return to the playoffs as a result.
Strengths
The Chargers have a head coach, Mike McCoy, who was a former offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos. They have Philip Rivers, many times an All-Pro, at quarterback. Yet, their main strength in 2013 was their defense. The Chargers were the one team that consistently held Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos under 30 points, doing it in all three games the two teams played against each other. The Chargers allowed 28, 20, and 24 points to the Broncos in their various meetings, with two of those three games being played in Denver. The Chargers’ scheme was sound, but the front four was resolute, and the linebackers were active in getting where they needed to go. San Diego did win a 41-38 shootout at Kansas City last season, but that was the irregularity on the schedule. Usually, the Chargers contained their opponents and used a ball-control offense to win games with minimal fuss. This is a defense-oriented team.
Weaknesses
The Chargers have to realize that Philip Rivers is not who he once was. The Chargers’ offense used to be dynamic. Now it’s merely average. It’s competent, but not too consistent. It’s capable of making big plays, but those big plays occur on a hit-and-miss basis. The Chargers did just enough to get to the playoffs last season because their offense didn’t implode that much, but the defense had to do most of the dirty work. Rivers needs a big target to step forth at receiver so that the Chargers can stretch defenses and spread the field, thereby setting up the running game. If a new spark isn’t found by the offense, the Chargers are very likely going to remain in third place in the AFC West behind Denver and Kansas City, and that would put the prospect of a return trip to the playoffs in great danger.
Schedule
The Chargers’ NFC games are against the NFC West, which is nasty for any NFL team at this point in the league’s development. The NFC West was the one division in the NFL which was tougher than the AFC West last season. The Chargers’ non-division AFC games are mostly against the AFC East, which is a good thing. That’s better than drawing the North. The Chargers also play Baltimore and Jacksonville.
Outlook
The schedule balances out for San Diego in terms of offering a blend of tough and manageable games. You’re not going to see Philip Rivers reinvent himself, but you’re not going to see the Chargers’ defense deteriorate. It’s an open question as to whether 9-7 will make the playoffs, but the Chargers will probably get to 9-7 this season.
Pick: Over 8
