Chargers: Predicting the final standings for the AFC West in 2022
By Jason Reed
The LA Chargers were not the only team in the AFC West with an exciting offseason. The Denver Broncos made arguably the biggest trade of the offseason by adding Russell Wilson under center while the Las Vegas Raiders made arguably the second-biggest trade of the offseason by reuniting Derek Carr with Davante Adams.
The Kansas City Chiefs made arguably the third-biggest trade of the offseason but it made the team worse as they shipped off Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. While the Chiefs are still a Super Bowl contender, they undoubtedly got worse this offseason.
We have already done our game-by-game predictions for the LA Chargers in the 2022 season, but what about the rest of the AFC West? While we won't go game-by-game in this article, we can look at the 2022 schedules and compile a final standings prediction.
Predicting where the Chargers land in the final AFC West standings:
4. Las Vegas Raiders, 8-9
Signal the Raiders fans tweeting at us and sending me direct messages telling me how wrong I am and asking me who won in Week 18 last season. Yes, the Raiders did beat the Chargers in Week 18 to make the playoffs. They still haven't won a playoff game in two decades. Sure, they have rings, but anyone under 40 wasn't alive to see it.
Regardless, the 2022 season is a new year and does not depend on the past. Yes, the Raiders added Davante Adams and Chandler Jones and yes, the offense has a lot of weapons for Derek Carr to throw to next season.
That does not change the fact that Carr is the only non-elite quarterback in this division and that absolutely makes a difference, especially with Josh McDaniels not having the best track record as a head coach to back him up.
Jones is past his prime and was not even that impressive after his five-sack game in Week 1 last season. Maxx Crosby is a beast but the rest of the defense is a disaster for the Raiders and is incredibly thin.
Every game they play in is going to be this high-scoring shootout and that just is not sustainable to win, trust us, we have seen the Chargers do this. After combing through the Raiders schedule, it is quite obvious that if they play to my projections then they will be 8-9.