As training camp is about to get underway, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox made his record predictions for all 32 teams in the NFL for the upcoming season.
For the Chargers, Knox believes they will win one more game than in 2019, finishing 2020 with a 6-10 record.
Here is a look at his reasoning as to why he believes Los Angeles will have another underwhelming year:
The Chargers need to figure out their goals for the 2020 season. If they’re eager to return to the playoffs after a 5-11 record in 2019, they may want to roll with journeyman quarterback Tyrod Taylor. If they’re hoping to develop rookie first-rounder Justin Herbert, the Oregon product will likely see the field sooner than later.
“We drafted him high to one day be our franchise quarterback, for sure,” head coach Anthony Lynn said, per Kevin Flaherty of 247Sports.com. “But I don’t want to put a timetable on this young man.”
While the Chargers may start out looking to chase a playoff berth, they may decide midway through the season that playing for the future is the right course of action.
Los Angeles has three tough games against the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers within the first five weeks of the season, and a rocky start is entirely possible. In a division with the Chiefs and improved Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos squads, the Chargers could find it tough to dramatically improve on their 2019 record.
I believe Los Angeles is capable of finishing 9-7 this season. My complete game-by-game predictions can be found here.
Quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert might not necessarily perform at a Pro Bowl level. But no matter how the quarterback play shakes up, the schematic changes on both sides of the ball and talent on the roster should be able elevate their success rate.
The biggest determining factor to their success will be the health of the team. The Chargers have shown that they can compete with any team in the league, but when the injuries to their key players start to stack up – just like last year – it will belittle them immensely.