LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 2022 WIN PREDICTION

BY ADAM GREENE

No one knew what to expect out of the Los Angeles Chargers last season, but after the rookie year Justin Herbert put on film, the sky was the limit. It turned out, the sky was significantly closer to the ground than previously thought.

Even though the Chargers watched the playoffs on their Barcaloungers, 2021 served notice that the “other” team in LA would be a factor in the NFL’s future. And if they needed any extra motivation coming into 2022, the team they share their home stadium with, the Los Angeles Rams, hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy on that very field last February. If that doesn’t fire you up to hit the gridiron, nothing can.

The first year of the Brandon Staley era started hot, with a 4-1 record to begin the season. They fell hard, 34-6, to the Baltimore Ravens and, if nothing else, that game showed the Chargers exactly how far behind the real contenders they were. It didn’t help that they lost a 27-24 game to the New England Patriots and their rookie QB a week after the bye. And while people will rightly point at the end of their Week 18 game with the Las Vegas Raiders as ultimately what cost them a playoff spot, it was losses like that one to the Pats, bad ones to downright inexplicable defeats, that really kept them from playing deep into January.

For instance, losing the Minnesota Vikings wasn’t a big deal, but dropping a 28-13 effort to the Denver Broncos after that team cashed in its chips for the season was disappointing to say they least. They followed that loss with two good wins, including a 42-22 beat down of the eventual AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals. And while that two-game streak was ended with a 34-28 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, you can’t really hold that against them.

It was the next week and a 41-29 blowout loss to the Houston Texans, the worst team in the NFL and one of the worst teams in all of professional football, that no one can explain to me even now nearly a year later.

Of course, in Week 18 they still had a shot, with a win or a tie, to make the playoffs. With a chance to end the game knotted up 32-32 with the Las Vegas Raiders, who were willing to do just that, Staley decided to play for the win. Vegas took that personally and ended LA’s season.

Herbert finished a Pro Bowl campaign with a 65.9 completion percentage, 5,014 yards, 38 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Austin Ekeler rushed for 911 yards and 12 touchdowns and added 647 yards and eight TDs through the air. Keenan Allen caught 106 passes for 1,138 yards and six TDs. Mike Williams had 76 grabs for 1,146 yards and nine scores.

The defense was No. 29 in points surrendered and No. 23 in yardage allowed. Joey Bosa led the team with 10.5 sacks.

LOS ANEGELES CHARGERS

Last season: 9-8

Odds: Under 10.5 wins (-130), Over 10.5 wins (+100)

2022 NFL Draft: Zion Johnson, OL, Boston College (Round 1), JT Woods, Safety, Baylor (Round 3), Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M (Round 4), Otito Ogbonnia, DT, UCLA (Round 5), Jamaree, Salyer, OL, Georgia (Round 6), Ja’Sir Taylor, DB, Wake Forest (Round 6), Deane Leonard, DB, Mississippi (Round 7), Zander Horvath, FB, Purdue (Round 7)

2022 Additions: Khalil Mack, Edge (trade), JC Jackson, CB (free agent), Sebastian Joseph-Day, DT (free agent), Austin Johnson, DT (free agent), Gerald Everett, TE (free agent), Josh Harris, LS (free agent), Kyle Van Noy, ILB (free agent), Bryce Callahan, CB (free agent), Morgan Fox, DE (free agent), Deandre Carter, WR (free agent), Troy Reeder, LB (free agent),

Projected Starters

Offense

QB: Justin Herbert

RB: Austin Ekeler

WR: Keenan Allen

WR: Mike Williams

WR: Joshua Palmer

TE: Gerald Everett

FB: Gabe Nabers

LT: Rashawn Slater

LG: Matt Feiler

C: Corey Linsley

RG: Zion Johnson

RT: Storm Norton

Defense

LDE: Jerry Tillery

NT: Austin Johnson

RDE: Sebastian Joseph-Day

WLB: Joey Bosa

LILB: Kenneth Murray, Jr.

RILB: Drue Tranquill

SLB: Khalil Mack

CB: Michael Davis

CB: JC Jackson

SS: Derwin James, Jr.

FS: Nasir Adderley

Special Teams

PK: Dustin Hopkins

P: JK Scott

PR: DeAndre Carter

KR: DeAndre Carter

PREVIEW

The Chargers had a good long time to stew on the events of last season and how they got a front row seat to watch the other team in LA win a Super Bowl on their home field. I feel like it probably stung a tad.

Not that Los Angeles would have made the Super Bowl if they’d sneaked into the playoffs. But to have a shot, you have to at least get a ticket to the dance. Everyone seems convinced that will happen this year and I’m no different. What I’m not prepared to do is anoint them the second best team in the conference. Some of the preseason Power Rankings have been downright preposterous.

There’s reason to be excited and if I’d ever met a real Chargers fan in my life, I’d tell them that to their imaginary face. Justin Herbert has been on a tear since getting tossed the keys to LA’s Ferrari offense and has never taken his foot of the pedal. And while I’d still rank him behind Joe Burrow, considering the whole dragging his team to the Super Bowl thing, I have no issue with the high regard NFL punditry has on the former Oregon Duck outside of that.

Like every team in the AFC West, Los Angeles will have to run the gauntlet with some extra early help the other franchises won’t enjoy. Two division game against playoff teams hit them out the gate. They host the Raiders and then play at Kansas City. After that, it’s a trip to the candy store with games hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars, at the Houston Texans and then at the Cleveland Browns without Deshaun Watson, who, by that point, should be suffering every charley horse imaginable.

Their first game against the Denver Broncos is at home and then they have the pathetic Seattle Seahawks before getting a week off to prepare for the Atlanta Falcons. After that, it’s a trip upstate to take on a San Francisco 49ers team I’m convinced will be down. That means I think LA will be 8-1 when they welcome the Chiefs into SoFi on Nov. 20.

There are plenty of tests over the final seven games and they might not have an exciting entrance into the playoffs losing four of them, but I think an AFC West title and home playoff game will salve that wound. 

Final record prediction: 12-5

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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