Los Angeles Chargers 2020 NFL schedule: 5 must-win games
By Matt Conner
The L.A. Chargers are, once again, a popular pick based on offseason moves, but to make a very real leap in the standings, these are the must-win games.
Another NFL offseason means another six-month stretch in which NFL talking heads talk themselves into believing in the Los Angeles Chargers. This year is no different even if no one at this point even knows who will be handling duties as the team’s starting quarterback for the first time since 2003.
Philip Rivers is among the dearly departed in L.A., having taken the reins behind the stout from line in Indianapolis. In his place is likely a highly-drafted rookie or maybe Cam Newton (at this point, it’s unknown), but the Chargers have so much talent on both sides of the ball that it seems ridiculous that they could end up repeating their 5-11 record. If anything, they could reverse it.
The road to the AFC West runs through Kansas City these days, but there’s room for another contender in the division considering how wide open the AFC is beyond the Chiefs and Ravens. The Chargers could become one of those teams, but it will require their ability to win these five games (and more) on the 2020 schedule.
Home: Kansas City Chiefs
If the Chargers are ready to spring back into the list of AFC hopefuls to represent in the Super Bowl, they’re going to have to solve the puzzle known as Andy Reid and the Chiefs. The Chiefs have won 11 of the last 12 games against the Chargers and even that win was a single point victory aided by a last-second touchdown by Mike Williams.
The Chargers’ first step in 2020 needs to be taking care of business against the teams that are clearly less talented, but there’s also too much talent here on paper to not contend even against the toughest teams on the schedule. This is especially true after signing Chris Harris for a secondary that also gets Derwin James healthy for a full season.
If the new quarterback can avoid the mistakes that Rivers always made against the Chiefs, the Chargers stand a good chance of splitting with the defending Super Bowl champs.