The Chargers have already lost more regular-season games than they did all of last year. For LAC’s playoff hopes to be rekindled, tonight’s game against the Raiders is the beginning of a three-game, must-win scenario.
As we move into the second half of the NFL season, it’s make-or-break time for playoff contenders. That includes the LA Chargers, a team that Vegas accorded high status before the season began with 15/1 odds to win the Super Bowl. LAC, currently at 4-5 on the year, hasn’t come close to meeting those lofty expectations.
But after last Sunday’s big win against the Packers, these Chargers may be back on track> The next three games will likely determine LAC’s playoff fate.
That road begins tonight’s game with a game against the Raiders. With Oakland’s questionable secondary (allowing 26 points per game), Philip Rivers and Company should have the advantage. If LAC can make it two in a row, that will set the stage for next week’s Monday Night showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs in LA. Patrick Mahomes should be back and ready to play. That game–perhaps more than any other left on the schedule–looms large for the Chargers.
LAC’s Philip Rivers (photo, ESPN.com)
Oddsmakers have made LAC a slight favorite against the Raiders (-1.5), and they’ll almost certainly be the underdog against KC–no matter what happens tonight. If things go according to script, then LAC is likely to be 5-6, and no better than 6-5, going into a very winnable game with the Denver Broncos.
But winning all three of those games means the Chargers will be 7-5 going into the stretch against the Jags and Vikings, before closing out the regular season versus the Raiders and Chiefs.
How will this year’s narrative be written? According to DraftKings, LAC’s Super Bowl odds have ballooned to 80/1. For Chargers’ fans, though, the stakes are much higher. With high hopes after last year’s run, they worry that their team’s script has been flipped–from contender to also-ran in just one year.
Yes, things change in the NFL, but such a sudden fall is still unusual. That’s why these next three games are especially important. Will the Chargers regain footing? Or will this team stumble and fall?
