During July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will be analyzing the schedules of every team in the NFL and ranking each game in order of difficulty (with one being the most difficult). This series will be split up into the eight most difficult games (ranked 1-8) and the eight easiest games (ranked 9-16) for each team. In this article, the San Diego Chargers most difficult games are the focus.
San Diego Chargers Most Difficult Games In 2016
1. Week 8 at Denver Broncos
The Chargers have a tough task as they play the Super Bowl champions twice. Mile High is not an easy place to play and the Broncos will be wanting to win another AFC West title. Peyton Manning might have retired but Denver still keeps most of their defense intact. This includes Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller. Miller recorded three sacks against the Chargers in the two games they played last season.
2. Week 14 at Carolina Panthers
The Chargers not only have to play the Super Bowl 50 winner but the loser as well. In Week 14 they travel to Carolina to face the Panthers. The Panthers not only have a solid defense lead by all-star linebacker Luke Kuechly but last season’s MVP in Cam Newton. Kelvin Benjamin should be healthy in 2016 as well which will give Newton another weapon to throw to. San Diego will have their hands full as they try to get a win on the road late in the season.
3. Week 1 at Kansas City Chiefs
In the first game of the season, San Diego travels to Kansas City to face the Chiefs. The Chiefs beat the Chargers in both games of the 2015 season. San Diego nearly tied the game up last time they played in Kansas City but lost at the end 10-3. The loudest stadium in the NFL will be at full volume for the first game of the season. It will be no small task to stop a Chiefs team with a healthy Jamaal Charles back.
4. Week 5 at Oakland Raiders
The Chargers play in a really tough division. The Oakland Raiders appear to be headed in the right direction and will provide an even more difficult challenge for the Chargers than they did last year. The Raiders beat the Chargers both times they played in 2015 and seem to have only improved their team. It’s a tall task in front of San Diego to get wins in their own division.
5. Week 17 vs Kansas City Chiefs
San Diego starts the season with the Chiefs and ends the season with them in 2016. Kansas City travels to sunny San Diego for the final game of the season. The team from Missouri looks to be a possible playoff contender so this game could mean a lot for seeding. Kansas City isn’t expected to start the season with Justin Houston but it is believed that he will be playing by mid-season. Houston returned an interception for a touchdown in their first meeting of the 2015 season. In 2014, he recorded 5 sacks in both times that they played.
6. Week 6 vs. Denver Broncos
A Thursday night game against the Denver Broncos will help out the Chargers a little bit. Usually the home team has a little bit of an advantage on the Thursday night match-up but it won’t be much. By week 6 the Broncos should have established who their starting quarterback is. Whoever is will probably be a little more comfortable in the offense by then. Philip Rivers will have his hands full trying to pass the ball with Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib covering the Chargers receivers.
7. Week 15 vs. Oakland Raiders
Six out of the top eight toughest games for the Chargers are all against their division opponents. The AFC West will be tough this year and San Diego will have a lot to prove if they even want a wildcard slot. Rivers should be able to help the Chargers put up a fight but the divisional opponents are loaded. Khalil Mack will lead an Oakland defense that only improved signing Sean Smith in the off-season. The former Chiefs cornerback has experience against Rivers as well.
8. Week 12 at Houston Texans
J.J. Watt might recently had surgery but he is expected to be fully healthy and ready to go by the start of the season. At the very least he will be good to go by the time this week 12 matchup happens. The Houston Texans have recently had a pretty solid top 10 defense but this off-season they boosted their offense. DeAndre Hopkins has proven to be a nightmare to cover for teams no matter who is quarterback. Now the Texans went out and signed former Broncos signal caller Brock Osweiler who has experience playing the Chargers. They also went out and got a running back to replace Arian Foster in Lamar Miller.
Make sure you keep reading as you check out San Diego’s easiest games in 2016.
