The Chargers aren’t a top 10 team... they’re top 5!

The Chargers enjoyed making a distinct impression across the pond this week, and the charts are starting to notice! The LA Chargers began the season with a middling Power Ranking average of about 13. This represents a team that could be pretty good, but wasn’t good enough to make it to the playoffs.

This year has been a different story. Without the kicking woes that plundered the Chargers’ record last season (the Sturgis saga hasn’t been a good one, but it hasn’t cost clear and definitive games like the Koo saga), fans and media around the league are starting to take the Bolts for real. Not only have they been stringing together wins, but they’ve been looking quite good on the field as they dispatch their foes. One of the biggest themes from this power ranking roundup is that the world is quite aware that Joey Bosa is an incredible factor in the Chargers favor, and he hasn’t yet played a down.

The world isn’t just beginning to believe in this team, they are already fearing the balanced onslaught that Bosa’s return will promise.

ESPN

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. New England Patriots
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Los Angeles Chargers

Need more from: DE Melvin Ingram. With the absence of Joey Bosa, Ingram will need to be more of a factor in the Chargers’ pass rush. According to ESPN Pass Rush Metrics using NFL Next Gen Stats, the Chargers have won their pass rushes in 2.5 seconds or less on 43 percent of plays, which ranks 26th in the NFL

6. Minnesota Vikings

7. Baltimore Ravens

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

9. Carolina Panthers

10. Philadelphia Eagles

SB Nation

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. New England Patriots
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Los Angeles Chargers

It’s not just the 6-1 Chiefs who are among the NFL’s biggest threats, but the 5-2 Chargers are making their case, too.

6. Baltimore Ravens

7. Minnesota Vikings

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

9. Washington Redskins

10. Carolina Panthers

USA Today

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. New Orleans Saints
3. New England Patriots
4. Kansas City Chiefs
5. Los Angeles Chargers

They’ve won 11 of 14 dating to last season even while enduring the absence of so many key contributors, notably Joey Bosa and, Sunday, Melvin Gordon.

6. Minnesota Vikings

7. Baltimore Ravens

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

9. Washington Redskins

10. Carolina Panthers

NBC Sports

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. New England Patriots
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Los Angeles Chargers

They lucked out against the Titans, but a win’s a win. Rivers continues to be the NFL MVP frontrunner no one’s talking about.

6. Washington Redskins

7. Minnesota Vikings

8. Carolina Panthers

9. Pittsburgh Steelers

10. Green Bay Packers

NFL.com

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. New England Patriots
3. Kansas City Chiefs
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Minnesota Vikings
6. Los Angeles Chargers

Whether the Chargers are playing in SoCal or on the Wembley pitch, those powder blues are splennnnndid. They might be the best look in all of pro football. Especially enjoyed Keenan Allen’s long-sleeve, monochrome, sky-blue look, if not his meltdown and pylon kick. Meanwhile, Philip Rivers continues to successfully search for any and all receivers, be it Tyrell Williams, Mike Williams or even Antonio Gates, who is 60 years old. The deep ball to Mike Williams was nice. The deep ball to Tyrell was gorgeous and, dare I say, MVP-like. The Bolts have no room above them to move up, though.

7. Carolina Panthers

8. Baltimore Ravens

9. Pittsburgh Steelers

10. Washington Redskins

CBS.com

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. New Orleans Saints
3. New England Patriots
4. Kansas City Chiefs
5. Los Angeles Chargers

They’ve won five straight games to put that 0-2 start a long way in the rearview mirror. Philip Rivers has been outstanding.

6. Baltimore Ravens

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

8. Minnesota Vikings

9. Washington Redskins

10. Carolina Panthers

The Washington Post

1. Los Angeles Rams
2. New Orleans Saints
3. New England Patriots
4. Kansas City Chiefs
5. Minnesota Vikings
6. Los Angeles Chargers

Anyone who dismisses the Chargers as a viable Super Bowl threat in the AFC isn’t paying attention. They’re only a game behind the Chiefs in the AFC West. And they’re doing this, remember, without their standout pass rusher, Joey Bosa.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

8. Green Bay Packers

9. Washington Redskins

10. Carolina Panthers

Average Rating: 5.28

Most Common Rating: 5

The Chargers are getting noticed. While the Chiefs are still getting the majority of the attention, Kansas City’s conquering of the AFC West is not yet a foregone conclusion. Either way, it seems that the media is expecting the Chargers to make a splash in the playoffs this year.

-Jason “Calculon” Michaels