LA Chargers: 4 Keys to being a winning team in 2020
By Jason Reed
LA Chargers’ keys to be a winning team: 4. Sweeping either the Las Vegas Raiders or Denver Broncos
The AFC West is going to be a better division this season. The LA Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos all became better teams in the offseason. Unfortunately, of the three teams, I do think the Broncos made the biggest leap heading into next year and are the Chargers’ biggest challenge to coming second in the AFC West.
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I say second because I do not think there is a reasonable chance that any team dethrones the Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes would have to miss the entire season for that to even be a possibility and I would never wish injury on any NFL player.
A big reason for the Chargers’ lack of success last season was the team’s poor play in the division. The Chargers went 0-6 in the division last season and are bound to get better in 2020. However, they can’t just get better, they have to sweep either the Raiders or the Broncos.
Call me pessimistic but I do not think the Chargers will beat the Chiefs this season. Even though they played them close in Mexico City, the Chiefs have dominated the Chargers in recent years with the only win taking a herculean comeback and gutsy two-point conversion call at the end of the game.
I think the Chargers will likely split with the other AFC West team, meaning that the Bolts will need to sweep either the Raiders or Broncos to have an even 3-3 division record.
Looking at the Chargers schedule, there is a very slim chance that the team has a winning record if they do not have at least a .500 record in the division. If they do take a game against KC or even sweep Denver AND Las Vegas then I really like their chances.
Next. Players who absolutely cannot get hurt in 2020
Either way, though, the LA Chargers are going to have to sweep one of the teams in the AFC West, with the realistic options being Denver or Vegas, to be a winning team in 2020.