LA Chargers: Way-too-early AFC West standings prediction

Where will the LA Chargers finish in the AFC West in 2020?

The AFC West is one of the most interesting divisions in football heading into the 2020 season. Not only does the division boast the defending Super Bowl Champions, but it also showcases three wild-card teams that can be hard to gauge heading into the season.

The LA Chargers, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders all have so many variables that are going to determine how they perform in 2020 and it might be hard to predict the exact order of the division this far away from this season.

But that is exactly what we are going to do. Here is my way-too-early AFC West standings prediction for the 2020 season.

AFC West standings prediction: #4 Las Vegas Raiders

• Record: 6-10

The AFC West plays the NFC South and the AFC East, one tough division and one somewhat easy division. The Raiders, along with the Denver Broncos, also have a big advantage over the Chargers as they get to play the three toughest teams from those two divisions — the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills — at home.

The Raiders’ two extra games are against the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts, which admittedly are two tough third-place teams to play as both are going to get better.

While Henry Ruggs is exciting and I really like what the Raiders did with their linebacker unit, I cannot see this team winning seven games. The best-case scenario is that they win one against the trio previously mentioned and one against the Browns and Colts.

That is 2-3, at best- in those five games. I think Kansas City sweeps them and best-case scenario they split with Denver and LA. That is 4-7. The Raiders would have to win three against the remaining opponents —the Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins — to be a seven-win team.

I just don’t see that, especially considering that their 4-7 record before those five games is already the best-case scenario.