When and Where: Week 14 in Los Angeles, so basically a home game
Last season: Committed just 9 turnovers during the regular season, then 4 in one playoff game.
Added: Mekhi Becton, Benjamin St-Juste, Tyler Conklin, Donte Jackson, Andre James, Da’Shawn Hand, Najee Harris, Mike Williams
Lost: Kristian Fulton, Josh Palmer, Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Joey Bosa
Players added or lost in order of snaps played last season.
Top draft picks: Omarion Hampton, Tre Harris
Biggest question facing this team: Do they have the horses to run with the top of the AFC?
It was no surprise that Jim Harbaugh immediately made the Chargers a winning team. They were 1st in scoring defense, and Justin Herbert had the most efficient season of his career. This is what Harbaugh does, he makes his team hell to play against and, even with Greg Roman as his play caller, gets good seasons out of his QBs.
But Harbaugh and Herbert alone won’t get the Chargers into the next tier in the AFC. This team needs more talent to move up from being good enough to win double digit games but not good enough to make a playoff run. They scored 17 or fewer points in 7 games last year, and 20% of their points scored were against the Patriots and Raiders in the final two games of the season. This is a team that employs Jalen Reagor.
The players they have brought in probably won’t help. Najee Harris? Bringing back Mike Williams? Tyler Conklin? These are not floor raising moves, let alone ceiling raising. Omarion Hampton might be a difference maker, but the Chargers aren’t just a RB away from leveling up to the top of the AFC.
No one can get more out of less than Jim Harbaugh. And while this should be a playoff team once again, it should not come as a surprise if the Chargers fail to make the playoffs.
