Chargers: Predicting the final standings for the AFC West in 2022

1. LA Chargers, 13-4

I may end up eating crow but I genuinely do believe that the LA Chargers have something very special brewing. They have the elite quarterback who is primed for an MVP season in the second season in his offense. They have the head coach who changed the culture and now they have the talent to better fit into that head coach's vision.

Everything is in place for the Chargers to be a really good football team next season. Of course, you still have to go out and play the games and the Chargers are no strangers to disappointment. As long as they stay relatively healthy (some injuries will happen, it is inevitable) then they should be great.

I have the Bolts splitting with both Kansas City and Denver for two of their losses. The only two out-of-division losses that I predict the Chargers to have are against the LA Rams on New Year's Day and against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football in what will be the most shocking loss of the season.

The Chargers will be 13-3 heading into Week 18 and with the Chiefs being 11-5 the team will have the division locked up. Los Angeles could play the starters if the first seed is up in the air with the Buffalo Bills but I do think they take the cautious route in Denver, losing that game.

Yes, the Chargers have some tough matchups on their schedule but if the team is as good as we think they are going to be then they should be favored in just about all of these games. As someone who really does try to be objective in these predictions I understand that 13 wins are a lot but the Bolts can absolutely pull it off.

Think about it, the Chargers were 9-8 last season and probably should have been two games better than they were. If we think the team improved by 2-3 wins this offseason then that puts them at 13-14 wins.