The LA Chargers have clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2018. After suffering horrible injury luck all season long, the Bolts are starting to get healthy and are peaking at the perfect time as a result.
It was not a guarantee a month ago that the Bolts would make the playoffs and now they are the team that no other team is going to want to play. It has been an incredible turnaround to watch and fans are now just hoping that the team can convert that into a deep Super Bowl run.
Los Angeles certainly has the talent to make a Super Bowl run with several superstars on the roster. Those are obviously the most important players that give LA a chance to begin with. However, there are several other very important players that may not be superstars but will make a big difference in how far this team goes.
3 Chargers who are sneakily very important to a Super Bowl run:
1. Zion Johnson
We all know how important Corey Linsley and Trey Pipkins are to this offensive line right now (and Rashawn Slater if he potentially returns for the playoffs) but the true make-or-break member has to be rookie right guard Zion Johnson.
Johnson has had a solid rookie season all things considered for the Chargers. Yes, there have been moments in which Johnson looks every part of a rookie out there but that is part of the process. Expecting a rookie offensive lineman to be perfect in year one is absurd. Very few can do that with Slater hurting fans' expectations.
The foundation of Johnson is really solid and his impact in the run game is felt when he is having a good game. While Justin Herbert is a humanoid freak at quarterback, the run game truly is the engine of this offense and it is at its best when it runs behind Johnson and Pipkins on the right side.