AFC Playoff Picture: Chargers currently sit as the No. 5 seed
By Travis Wakeman
The NFL season is nearly halfway over and though there is still much to be settled, the top teams are already positioning themselves for a deep playoff run.
The Los Angeles Chargers are no exception after winning their last four games. Though they still trail the Kansas City Chiefs by two games in the AFC West race, they have stated their claim as one of the league’s most formidable teams.
The Chargers are getting respect on a national scale as well. ESPN currently ranks them at No. 5 on its most recent power rankings. However, power rankings aren’t official and No. 5 is where the Chargers would rank among AFC teams alone.
As we all know, if a team doesn’t win its division, it is playing for a Wild Card spot and will likely be going on the road for most, if not all, of the postseason.
If the season ended today, the Chargers would be ine the top Wild Card spot and would be battling the division winner with the worst record. Currently, that spot belongs to the Houston Texans.
Here’s how the playoff picture currently stands in the AFC:
Byes: Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots
(6) Cincinnati Bengals at (3) Pittsburgh Steelers
(5) Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans
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Though it would be a road game, the Texans are a team the Chargers match up well with. Every season, there’s that team “no one wants to play” when the postseason begins. Right now, that team might just be the Chargers.
Of course, there is still a lot of season to play and much or even all of this could still change as no team is completely out of it this early in the season.
The Chargers can greatly improve their chances at a Super Bowl run if they can overtake the Chiefs in the division. The way the Chiefs are playing, that will be easier said than done, but two dates that Chargers fans will want to circle on their calendars are November 19th and December 13th. On November 13th, the Chiefs face the Los Angeles Rams in Mexico City. On December 13th, the Bolts go into Arrowhead Stadium for what could be a massive game.