The LA Chargers have an easier schedule than they did last year, but there are some trap games that should concern them.
With the LA Chargers‘ schedule releasing last Thursday, a lot has been made of which games are easiest and hardest as well as record predictions. Trap games are an important part of the schedule too. Every year, most teams lose games that they shouldn’t.
There are games on the Chargers’ schedule that look like wins on paper, but might not be so clear cut. Let’s go through the four trap games on the calendar in 2020.
Week 3: vs. Carolina Panthers
Carolina is an intriguing 2020 team. They don’t have the talent they had at their peak as NFC contenders, as there is now a rebuild underway in the new Matt Rhule era. Despite a perceived lack of talent, some of their offseason moves still appeal to me. Teddy Bridgewater may not be the most dynamic quarterback, but he has a high football IQ.
The Chargers had mixed results in those situations last year. Many remember the Chargers beating Jacoby Brissett and the Colts in the close first game of the season, but they also lost to Ryan Tannehill. If a quarterback can just keep turnovers down and have a few quality throws a game, they can challenge the Chargers.
The other thing that scares me is Christian McCaffrey. On paper, the LA Chargers look like they’ll be better against the run in 2020. Kenneth Murray and Linval Joseph are two sizable upgrades over what they had before. Even with a better rushing defense though, McCaffrey is able to make even the best defenses look silly on a routine basis.