Los Angeles Chargers: Four keys to success for the 2018 season

The Los Angeles Chargers were so close to a spot in the 2017 NFL Playoffs. In 2018, these four things could lead to better results for the Bolts.

The Los Angeles Chargers finished the season with a 9-7 record and missed the postseason due to a three-way tie with the Bills and Ravens that negated the team’s win over the Bills as the tiebreaker. What made matters even worse is that a few different decisions or small results and the Chargers could have won at least 12 games.

One loss that sticks out, in particular, was the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. With the team leading by three and having a third and eight on their own 12-yard line the Chargers decided to play it safe, run the ball and then punt. Were the Chargers to take the risk and simply pass the ball and pick it up, they would have been playoff bound.

There were other mistakes as well. The most notorious being Younghoe Koo’s missed field goal in week two to win the game and his blocked field goal to tie the game in week one. All Koo had to do was make the field goal against the Dolphins and the Chargers were playoff bound.

One small change in any of these games and the Chargers would have been 10-6 and could have done damage in the postseason. Small changes in all three games and LA would have finished 12-4.

Ironically, Koo’s missed kick leads directly into our first key to success next season.