Predicting the final 6 games of the Chargers' season: Playoffs are not a lock

The LA Chargers fell to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 12 to slide to the No. 6 seed in the AFC. On paper, the Chargers still have a great chance of making the playoffs with projections giving the team an 86% chance of making the dance.

Making the playoffs in the NFL is never that easy, though. The Chargers' final six games of the season are no cake walk and there are concerning injuries to cornerback Cam Hart and running back J.K. Dobbins that could impact the rest of the 2024 season.

Los Angeles still controls its own destiny but the final six weeks of the season will not be on cruise control. Some turbulence may be ahead for the Bolts.

Predicting the final six games of the Chargers' 2024 season

Week 13 at Atlanta Falcons: 23-19 win

The Atlanta Falcons are a more dangerous team than Chargers fans think. Atlanta ranks in the top five in passing yards per game this season, which is concerning with Hart potentially out and the defense proving it may not be top-tier over the last two weeks.

Los Angeles is also traveling East for an early game on a short week. With a game against the Kansas City Chiefs the following week, this has all the makings of being a trap game for the Chargers.

Losing to Baltimore almost helps the Chargers in this regard as it gave the Bolts an eye-opener that should carry over into next week. This will still be a dogfight that comes down to the final drive of the game with the Chargers winning by the skin of their teeth.

Week 14 at Kansas City Chiefs: 26-17 loss

It would be great to split with the Kansas City Chiefs this season but it probably is not in the cards. Kansas City simply has more talent than the Chargers and that is going to bear out in this matchup.

The Chargers started the last matchup between these two teams on the right note but were shut out by a stout Kansas City defense after the first quarter. That stout defense will show up again with an offense that is starting to find its groove.

Sure, the Chiefs have been one of the least impressive 9-1 teams thus far this season but they win games. It is hard to picture the Chargers going into Arrowhead and beating the Chiefs in December after seeing how the team played vs. Baltimore.

Week 15 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 29-27 loss

NFL teams don't always win the games they are supposed to win. If they did, the NFL would be the most predictable sport in the world and there would be no point in even writing these articles.

On paper, the Chargers should beat the Buccaneers and they will undoubtedly be favored at home. Heck, the Chargers may even beat the Buccaneers seven times out of 10 if these teams were to play an extended series.

But that is not how football works and quite frankly, the Chargers will be due to drop a game that they were favored in. Tampa Bay has a dangerous offense with weapons at every level and that is going to be hard for the Chargers to keep up with. Justin Herbert will superhero his way to a close game with the Bucs pulling out the shocker to keep their playoff hopes alive.

This prediction has the Chargers at 8-6 after Week 15 with a potential do-or-die divisional game in Week 16.

Week 16 vs. Denver Broncos: 24-23 loss

Bo Nix is starting to come into his own and this game may decide the Denver Broncos' playoff fate. Anything can happen with this game being played on a short week, including a Denver road upset in a game where the Chargers will likely be favored.

It may seem pessimistic to predict back-to-back Chargers losses in games where they will be favored but history is betting against the Chargers in this game. The Chargers have not swept the season series against the Broncos since the 2010 season. Beating a divisional opponent twice in one season is a hard thing to do.

And this is where the turbulence sets in. The Chargers would have an 8-7 record at this point having lost four of the team's last five games and three in a row. Thankfully, the final two weeks of the season present favorable matchups for the Bolts.

Week 17 at New England Patriots: 19-13 win

This is going to be an ugly game where pride wins out for the Chargers. Playing in Foxborough in late December is never an easy task, even if the Patriots are not the same Patriots team that they were a decade ago.

Like the previous week with Nix, Jesse Minter's defense will stifle Drake Maye enough for the offense to grind the clock and kick its way to victory. The Bolts only score one touchdown in this game with Cameron Dicker alone scoring 13 of the team's 19 points to match the Pats.

Week 18 at Las Vegas Raiders: 30-14 win

Jim Harbaugh is not going to let the Raiders play spoiler in Week 18. Las Vegas will be more concerned with its draft position at this point in the season while the Bolts may need a victory to secure a playoff spot. At this point the Chargers will already have nine wins, which might be enough by itself, but it never hurts to tack on one extra win.

And even with a bad December stretch that makes us seem like we are way too pessimistic, the Chargers still finish the season with a 10-7 record and a spot in the AFC playoff picture with a win over the Raiders.

It is important to remember that this was a rebuilding season for the Chargers, so the fact that a 10-win season seems somewhat disappointing after a hot start is a testament to what Harbaugh has been able to do in such a short amount of time.