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 Los Angeles Chargers most difficult games are the focus.
Los Angeles Chargers Most Difficult Games in 2017
1. Week 8 at New England Patriots
New England is coming off of a historic Super Bowl victory. Tom Brady doesn’t seem to be aging. Coach Bill Belichick is still the head coach. With those two things set in stone, the Patriots are still Super Bowl favorites. It would take a lot for the Chargers to make it past this group of experienced winners.
2. Week 6 at Oakland Raiders
Oakland is expected by many to win their division. The AFC West is filled with talent, and a lot of that talent resides in Oakland. The Raiders have swept the Chargers the past two seasons. Oakland seems to have their number, and that probably won’t change anytime soon. It looks like the Raiders got even better this offseason. Going into Oakland and getting a win will be extremely hard.
3. Week 1 at Denver Broncos
Denver and Los Angeles kick off the start of the season in the Mile High City. Denver’s offense may be nothing to be scared of, but that defense it still elite. With one of the best defenses in the league, and home field advantage, Denver is hard to beat. The game will most likely be a low-scoring battle between two supreme defenses.
4. Week 12 at Dallas Cowboys
Dallas might not have an elite defense in 2017. They might not even have an average defense in 2017, but their offense is explosive. Dak Prescott gets to hand the ball off to Ezekiel Elliott and stay protected in the pocket because of the best offensive line in the NFL. Los Angeles boasts an explosive offense themselves. However, Dallas can control the clock and ultimately the game with their effective running game.
5. Week 15 at Kansas City Chiefs
Games played within a division are always tough. It doesn’t always matter how good the teams are. Kansas City seems to have taken some steps back, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be a hard team to face. As long as Andy Reid is the coach of the Chiefs, they’ll be expected to be competitive. They also have a home-field advantage that really impacts opposing teams.
6. Week 5 at New York Giants
Eli Manning has a difficult time remaining consistent every season. The addition of Brandon Marshall might help the Giants build upon a successful 2016 campaign. Philip Rivers might even struggle against a very good Giants secondary featuring Landon Collins and Janoris Jenkins. Overall, the Giants are a dangerous team to face off against.
7. Week 17 vs. Oakland Raiders
History tends to repeat itself. Oakland has had their way with the Chargers for the last couple of seasons. Also, whenever the Raiders play in Southern California, it’s almost like playing a home game. The Raider fan base consistently shows up to Chargers games. The odds are in the Raiders favor.
8. Week 2 vs. Miami Dolphins
Miami defeated the Chargers when the two teams met last year. However, the game was close. Miami gets the edge due to having a beast running back in Jay Ajayi and a deadly playmaking receiver in Jarvis Landry. Those weapons will put the Chargers defense to the test.
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