Mahomes’ Chiefs have made the last two Super Bowls, winning 31-20 in 2020 and losing 31-9 in 2021; they are an undeniable threat in the National Football League and a near shoo-in to reach the biggest stage in football every season.
As a result, teams around the league have been forced to shift their focus away from figuring out how to reach the Lombardi game to how to dethrone the terrors from Kansas City.
The Los Angeles Chargers finished last season with a 7-9 record that was third in the AFC West, the same division as the Chiefs. Of the team’s nine losses, the first seven were all one-possession games that, if swung the other way, would have brought them to 14-2 on the year.
Unfortunately, life does not work that way, and the Chargers fired their Head Coach, Anthony Lynn, bringing in first-time head coach Brandon Staley, who served as the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2020.
The front office also went out and rebuilt an offensive line that finished 17th in Offensive Hog Index last season, bringing 2020 First-Team All-Pro Corey Linsley over from the Green Bay Packers, and selecting Rashawn Slater with the 13th-overall pick in the draft. These efforts were win-now moves to the benefit of reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year and second-year quarterback, Justin Herbert, who set a rookie record with 31 passing touchdowns last season.
Herbert’s heroics helped bring the team to 13th in Real Quarterback Rating, a modest but impressive mark for a player who had far fewer expectations than QBs taken above him in the draft. However, this only set the bar higher for the Chargers’ franchise player heading into the new season; he responded in week one.
Utilizing Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and newly acquired tight end Jared Cook, the Herbert-led offense torched the Washington Football Team’s elite defense for 337 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, most notably leading the team to 14 of 19 first-down pickups on third down and a fourth-quarter game-winning drive.
As talented as the Chargers’ offense is, their defense is special too; the return of a healthy Derwin James Jr. and Chris Harris Jr. will elevate a squad that was just outside the top-10 in Real Defensive Quarterback Rating last season, while their Joey Bosa-led front-seven can bring the heat to opposing QBs or stifle the run, having finished sixth in Defensive Rusher Rating in week one.
The defense will also be firmly under the control of coach Staley, who was the architect of a Rams defense that finished inside the top-seven in Defensive Real Quarterback Rating, Defensive Hog Index, and Defensive Rusher Rating in 2020.
As a whole, LA’s defense is aggressive and relentless, making them a scary prospect for any opponent they face.
Simply put, the Los Angeles Chargers are the biggest threat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC because it is their time. Most recent Super Bowl contenders are built around ascending QBs on rookie contracts, innovative head coaches, veteran talent, and solid lines— the Chargers check all of those boxes.
A potential pitfall to LA’s Super Bowl quest is their own division, which features the Chiefs, the Denver Broncos, and the Las Vegas Raiders, all of which are playoff-caliber teams. KC should still be expected to win the regular-season crown because of their experience and familiarity with one another, but if the Chargers can secure a wild card spot, then they will be a tougher out than any other team in football not named the Chiefs.
Justin Herbert must continue to display a mastery of the position, and the veteran stalwarts must stay healthy, but LA has a serious chance to turn heads with a run to the AFC Championship game this season; do not be surprised if they quickly establish themselves as a legitimate threat in the regular season despite a loaded schedule.
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Tanner Kern breaks down the biggest news from the NFL world, discusses fantasy football stategy, and gives his future bets for the 2022 season on the debut of the CHFF Show.