The Los Angeles Chargers are the newest NFL team in LA. The Rams moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles last summer. In their first season back in LA since 1994, the Rams finished 4-12.
In their last season in San Diego, the Chargers finished 5-11. However, they didn’t play like a 5-11 team. They could have easily won nine or even ten games.
Watch out for the Chargers in 2017, Los Angeles. They’ll be the kings of Los Angeles in the NFL.
Los Angeles Chargers: Future Kings of LA in the NFL
The Chargers had very bad luck in their last season in San Diego. It all started with the loss of wide receiver Keenan Allen. He suffered a torn ACL in the team’s opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.
After that, the Chargers had a streak of games where they had a clear shot at winning, but couldn’t get it done. That includes that loss to Kansas City. The Chargers held a huge lead and wound up losing in overtime.
They lost to the Indianapolis Colts by just four points. In the game against the New Orleans Saints, they held a 13-point fourth quarter lead at home. There was no excuse for them losing that game.
Key wins for the Chargers were upsetting the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome and knocking off the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.
Running back Melvin Gordon also had a great season for the Chargers. He rushed for just under 1,000 yards and scored ten touchdowns. They also lost another big part of their offense in Danny Woodhead.
Woodhead played just two games in 2016 before tearing his ACL. He rushed for 116 yards in two games. Had he been healthy, he could have finished with 1,328 yards. That would have him not only leading the team, but also atop the league.
As for the Rams, they just don’t have a good team at all. They have a mediocre quarterback in Jared Goff who will possibly not ever be a good player in this league.
Running back Todd Gurley went from star to stone cold in 2016. He only rushed for six touchdowns and averaged just 3.2 yards per rush.
The team fired coach Jeff Fisher and hired Washington Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay. The Chargers also hired a former offensive coordinator in Anthony Lynn.
A Difference in Coaches
Lynn took over a Buffalo Bills team that was led by quarterback Tyrod Taylor. He made that team look real good on offense for a period of time. He will now have a better quarterback in Philip Rivers to coach.
McVay goes from a stud in Kirk Cousins to a possible bust in Goff. This is the exact opposite situation that Lynn is going into. McVay will have almost nothing to work with. His only luck is if Gurley turns it around in the running game.
The Chargers may not be the best team in the AFC West in 2017. They still have to compete with the Oakland Raiders and their explosive offense and the Chiefs and their complete team. But they will most certainly be the better NFL team in 2017 and for years to come.
