Los Angeles Chargers Preview and Prediction

Team Preview

The Chargers enter their first season in Los Angeles since 1960, coming off a 5-11 season in 2016-17. In order for the Chargers to reach the postseason for the first time since 2013, the team has room to improve on both sides of the ball after each unit finished in the middle of the NFL in terms of yards per game/yards allowed per game.

When you think Chargers' football, the first player that should come to mind is quarterback Philip Rivers. Rivers has played in all 16 games in each season since 2006. That is a 176-game active streak, second only to New York Giants' QB Eli Manning (199). The 35-year-old has passed for over 4,000 yards in eight of those 11 seasons, including each of the last four. A year ago, Rivers recorded 4,386 passing yards and 33 touchdowns but also was intercepted a career-high 21 times while completing only 60 percent of his passes. There's no QB controversy coming into the season and there is no apparent heir, meaning this is probably Rivers' show until his contract runs out or he retires. Cutting down on the turnovers will obviously help the Chargers get the ball into the end zone more.

Tyrell Williams leads the Chargers' receiving corps after a 69-catch, 1,059-yard, 7-TD season a year ago. Dontrelle Inman (58 catches, 810 yards, 4 TD) and former Cleveland Brown Travis Benjamin (47 receptions, 677 yards, 4 TD) also will see plenty of looks. Keenan Allen hopes to put the WR unit over the top after playing in just a game a season ago after tearing his ACL. Allen has played in a combined nine games the past two seasons. When healthy, Allen can be the 1,000-yard WR the team needs him to be. The Chargers also drafted Mike Williams with the seventh pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, but he may not be ready to go until October. If Williams is dealing with injuries and the team starts off slow, do not be surprised if the team plays it safe with him, meaning Williams may not get a whole lot of time on the gridiron in his rookie season.

What you can know for sure is that Rivers will utilize the tight end duo of veteran Antonio Gates and 2016 second-rounder Hunter Henry. Gates recorded 548 yards and seven touchdowns on 53 receptions last year while the young Henry added 478 yards and a team-high eight touchdowns on just 36 receptions. It's hard to imagine Henry not compiling more receptions in the upcoming season, but the touchdowns may not come as frequently. Regardless, the Chargers appeared to have found their heir at tight end once Gates retires.

At running back, Melvin Gordon leads the charge after a breakout season a year ago. Gordon finished three yards short of a 1,000-yard season while adding 10 touchdowns. He also left his mark in the passing game, recording 41 catches for 419 yards and two more scores. Health will be key, like it is for so many backs in the NFL, for a repeat or better performance from the former Wisconsin standout. Behind Gordon last year, the Chargers really struggled to find a key contributor. Branden Oliver should snag the backup duties after missing the entire 2016 season with a torn achilles tendon. Expect Gordon and Oliver to shoulder most, if not all, of the carries to start the season.

The offensive line gets some needed depth and future prospects after earning the second-worst Pro Football Focus grade in 2016-17. The Chargers drafted Forrest Lamp in the second round, Dan Feeney in the third and Sam Tevi in the sixth. If the o-line struggles, look for one or all of these guys to step in.

Switching to the defensive side of the ball, Joey Bosa leads a solid pass-rushing unit after a 10 ½-sack, 41-total tackle season a year ago. Those numbers came while playing in 12 games, so a full 16-game slate could see Bosa reach 60 tackles and 15 or so sacks. He will be one to watch as the years progress. Joining the talented youngster on the d-line are Brandon Mebane and Cory Liuget. While the duo is solid in stopping the run, neither player can get to the QB like Bosa.

With that being said, it's almost necessary for Melvin Ingram to produce another season like he did a year ago (58 tackles, eight sacks), although the Chargers are surely hoping for even better production. 2016 fifth-rounder Jatavis Brown led the team with 79 total tackles while adding 3 ½ sacks last year. Brown will again man the middle of the defense while Kyle Emanuel (58 tackles) and Korey Toomer (75 tackles) rounding out the linebacking core. Denzel Perryman and Jemiah Attaochu provide some depth while Joshua Perry looks to make a jump in his second season after being selected in the fourth round of the 16' draft.

Leading the secondary is former Green Bay Packer cornerback Casey Hayward , who led the NFL with seven interceptions last year. Hayward also added 58 tackles. Trevor Williams fills the other CB slot while Dwight Lowery (60 total tackles) and Jahleel Addae (50 tackles) man the safety positions. 2017 fourth-rounder Rayshawn Jenkins and fifth-rounder Desmond King may also see some snaps during their rookie seasons.

2017-18 Schedule/Predictions 1 - at Denver Broncos (L) 2 - vs Miami Dolphins (W) 3 - vs Kansas City Chiefs (L) 4 - vs Philadelphia Eagles (L) 5 - at New York Giants (L) 6 - at Oakland Raiders (L) 7 - vs Denver Broncos (W) 8 - at New England Patriots (L) 9 - BYE 10 - at Jacksonville Jaguars (W) 11 - vs Buffalo Bills (W) 12 - at Dallas Cowboys (L) 13 - vs Cleveland Browns (W) 14 - vs Washington Redskins (L) 15 - at Kansas City Chiefs (L) 16 - at New York Jets (W) 17 - vs Oakland Raiders (L)

Season Record: 6-10, 1-5 AFC West

In my opinion, the Chargers have one of the tougher NFL schedules this season. If Los Angeles cannot earn a home win over the Miami Dolphins in week two, or pull an upset in week 1/weeks 3-8, the team could enter the week nine bye winless. It's not like the team has a ton of deficiencies, it's just that no position group really is strong enough to carry the team. Expect competitive games but the Los Angeles Chargers to fall short of the playoffs again.

Next AFC Team Up - Baltimore Ravens

Sources not listed in article: ESPN - stats; Ourlads - depth chart; Playoff Predictors - schedule/record projections.

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