The offseason acquisitions by the Los Angeles Chargers will pay off at some point. Those moves, especially on defense, are expected to lead them to a playoff appearance for the first time in four years.
The Chargers brought in Khalil Mack to help Joey Bosa in their pass rush. There’s also Sebastian Joseph-Day, who is an asset in stopping the run, and the team took in Kyle Van Noy and J.C. Jackson. Joining them are Bosa, Asante Samuel Jr., and Derwin James Jr. DeAndre Carter is their return specialist, while Dustin Hopkins is their placekicker.
They now have a defense that can complement their high-powered offense, which will do wonders for them and make the Chargers a team to watch in NFL betting markets.
The Chargers offense is led by quarterback Justin Herbert who won the 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. His targets include versatile running back Austin Ekeler and Sony Michel. They also have exceptional wide receivers in Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. On the offensive line, the Chargers are anchored by center Corey Linsley and left tackle Rashawn Slater.
The Chargers have progressed over the past three seasons. They went from 5-11 in 2019 to 7-9 a year later. They also finished with a 9-8 record in 2022 but were a tied game away from a postseason berth. Still, the Chargers are making progress and started the 2022-23 season with a 2-2 record.
Aside from the 1963 AFL Championship, the Chargers haven’t won many big games during their run in the NFL. They have been to four AFC Championship Games but won one. The Chargers also lost Super Bowl XXIX in a blowout against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Chargers were established in 1959 and became a charter member of the American Football League a year later. In 1961, they moved from Los Angeles to San Diego, where the team rose to prominence. They stayed there until 2016 and moved back to Los Angeles in 2017. Aside from their only AFL Championship, they also have 15 division titles and a conference championship in 1994.
The Chargers have played their home games at SoFi Stadium since 2020. It’s a stadium they share with the Los Angeles Rams and it can accommodate 70,240 spectators during a football game. However, the two NFL teams in Los Angeles have struggled to fill the seats in home games during recent years.
That’s why Chargers games can feel like a home game for the visiting squad, especially if many of their fans made the trip to watch the games live. Likewise, the noise level isn’t as loud as in other NFL stadiums.
As you’d expect, the Chargers have rivalries with their fellow AFC West squads. The Kansas City Chiefs lead their all-time series record, 66-58-1, and have won their last two meetings. However, the Chargers have won the only postseason game played against each other.
Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos also have a 70-54-1 record over the Chargers, but Los Angeles won in their last meeting. The Las Vegas Raiders also lead in their series, 67-57-2. However, the Chargers won their latest showdown early in 2022.
