Los Angeles Chargers: 2017-2018 will be a special year for the Chargers

After a pretty solid draft, the Los Angeles Chargers look as good as they have in quite some time. This could be the signal for something big next season.

Being a fan of the Los Angeles Chargers can be hard, trust me, I know. Being one of 13 teams that have never won the Super Bowl, Chargers fans have never been atop Everest looking down at the world. With Phillip Rivers you would think the team would accomplish it; especially in 2006 when the team went 14-2 behind Rivers and Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

That year the Chargers lost both their games by a field goal, nearly going 16-0 before the New England Patriots made it cool. Instead, the team went 14-2 and were knocked out of the playoffs by New England after a missed game-tying field goal from Nate Kaeding.

Since then the Chargers have had mixed success, and in more recent history, have been a letdown. The Chargers have not made the postseason since 2013, and in the last two years have combined for only nine wins.

The horrible part about the Chargers is I feel like out of all 32 of those games there was only two that were out of the Chargers reach. Both came in 2015, one a 31-14 loss to the Vikings and the other a 33-3 loss to the Chiefs.

Besides that, most games have been in reach with the biggest deficit at the most being two touchdowns. In 2015 nine of the Chargers 12 losses were within one possession, with the only outliers being the two previous games mentioned and a 17-3 loss against the Broncos.

In 2016 there was also nine losses that the Chargers had within one possession. The two games that weren’t was the team’s 16-28 loss to the Panthers and the team’s 27-37 loss to the Chiefs.

Heck, we can make the case for several games that the Chargers could have won last season. First, there was the Chiefs comeback in week one, the Hunter Henry’s fumble against the Colts, then the meltdown against the Saints, the missed snap against the Raiders, the Rivers interception party against the Dolphins, the scoreless fourth quarter against the Buccaneers, the blown lead against the Raiders, and finally the dud against the Browns.

More from Los Angeles Chargers

Assuming that everything went right for the Chargers in these games it now puts the team from 5-11 to 13-3. Granted, that is a lot to assume in the NFL, but I do not think we have ever seen a 5-11 team this good. Even if we assume only half of these games everything went right, that now puts the Chargers at 9-7.

Now, the Chargers head into this season with a vengeance. They are short corners and safeties, but this Chargers team will make a mark this year, mark my words.

With Joey Bosa, Corey Luiget, and Melvin Ingram the defense is looking good. With a revamped offensive line and a receiving core with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, Rivers will thrive.

Let’s not forget the Chargers have Melvin Gordon in the backfield, who started 2016 off in great fashion. With a better line and more focus on the passing game, it will allow Gordon to succeed more than he did last season.

If the Los Angeles Chargers can stay healthy, which is a lot to ask for, we may see their first season in LA be a success. The Chargers should be everybody’s dark horse, and I would not be surprised to see them in the playoffs once more.

Next: Analyzing the Chargers' Selection of Mike Williams

Being so close to greatness last year, this Los Angeles Chargers team has all the tools to make a great season run. Playing in the AFC West will not be easy, but with Phillip Rivers leading the way, anything can happen.

Home/Los Angeles Chargers