The Chargers are coming off an impressive 12-4 season that resulted in them making the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Unfortunately, they came up short, losing to the Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round.
Entering 2019, they now look to claim the AFC West title for the first time since 2009. Los Angeles was close in 2018, but the Chiefs earned it because of the tiebreaker. Running back Melvin Gordon certainly believes that they can, calling them the “team to beat” in the division.
Los Angeles will once again have stiff competition with Kansas City, who is seeking their fourth-straight divisional crown, but there’s plenty of reason to believe that the Bolts will snap that.
Here are three reasons why the Bolts will win the division in 2019:
1. Rivers is a man on a mission
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is entering year No. 16 but he continues to play at a high level. This is a guy that has done it all even with a below average offensive line for the past decade.
Rivers is coming off his best season in a long time. In 2018, he threw for 4,308 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and his 68.3 completion percentage was the second-highest in his entire career. This season, there’s a strong possibility he could top that.
Rivers did lose a key component from last year in Tyrell Williams but he will get several playmakers back on offense, including the dynamic tandem of wide receivers Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and a healthy Hunter Henry. But his playmakers don’t stop there as the Bolts have running backs Melvin Gordon, Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson, who are not only solid on the ground but as viable pass-catchers, too.
Rivers is trying to get his team to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1994 and solidify his name in Canton, OH in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Rivers, who is hungry to end his career on a strong note, should have nearly every advantage to do just that in the 2019 campaign.
2. Defense wins championships
Los Angeles has the building blocks for an elite NFL defense. Great defenses need two great edge rushers. Immediately, the Chargers can check that box off with edge rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, who have been an absolute nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
On the inside of the two players, the Bolts added defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, who should be a difference-maker up front. Seventh-round selection Cortez Broughton should also contribute in a big way as a situational pass-rusher. Brandon Mebane, Justin Jones and Damion Square also return.
Los Angeles’ secondary looks great. With the addition of free safety Nasir Adderley, him and Derwin James could boast the best safety tandem in the league. Cornerbacks Casey Hayward and Desmond King have been a lock down duo the past couples seasons, and they will get a healthy Trevor Williams back to solidify the group. Safety Adrian Phillips, who will play more as a dime linebacker, was re-signed after a breakout campaign that resulted in him earning a trip to the Pro Bowl.
The linebacker group was hit with injuries in 2018, but all members that missed last season return with the addition of 14-year veteran Thomas Davis and rookies Drue Tranquill and Emeke Egbule. This gives the team depth for days in case the injury bug were to happen again.
Staying healthy will be key but this defense has a good chance of finishing as a top-5 unit by the end of the season.
3. Taking advantage of the weakness
Like the Chargers, the Chiefs did what they needed to in order to bolster their roster, but with that came key losses. Kansas City lost defensive end Dee Ford, linebacker Justin Houston, center Mitch Morse and cornerback Chris Conley. The only notable additions outside of the draft were defensive end Alex Okafor, safety Tyrann Matheiu and running back Carlos Hyde.
You can throw running back Kareem Hunt and wide receiver Tyreek Hill into the notable loss category, too. They were two of the reasons the Chiefs’ offense was so phenomenal outside of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce and all of a sudden, it doesn’t look as enticing on paper.
Hunt is now with the Browns and Hill, though still with the team, figures to be missing some time after some off-field issues. He is the team’s major deep threat and the one player that gave the Bolts the most problems when they played each other.
Los Angeles has shown that they can take out Kansas City, as they snapped their nine-game losing streak on their home turf last season. When they face off twice in 2019, the Chargers must take advantage of Chiefs’ negatives and turn them into their own positives if they want a shot at the title.
