The recent loss to the Vikings was going to make the Chargers drop in some way, shape, or form during this week’s power rankings roundup. Fortunately, the loss to the Minnesota — a team with a losing record — didn’t actually cause the Bolts to fall all that much.
They’re still rightfully placed into the top-15 of the NFL, but you hav to think they’re barely hanging on to their notable standing at this point. If they want to avoid the “fraud” tag the remainder of the season, they’ve got to rattle off a number of wins before their next loss. If they can’t don’t be surprised to see a number of analysts and media pundits begin to jump ship.
We’ll try to stay positive, but things are definitely taking a turn in the wrong direction as of late.
With that being said, let’s take a look at this week’s roundup.
Fansided - #10
“Make it three losses in four games for Brandon Staley’s club, which has had problems all season stopping the run. Against the Vikings, the Chargers had their issues with Minnesota’s passing game.” - Russell S. Baxter
Pro Football Network - #11
“A young QB with a young head coach with multiple big passing threats and a veteran RB that can make plays all over the field. Does that sound familiar? It should, because the Bengals and the Chargers are practically the same team, except with their offensive and defensive efficiency flipped.”
“That is why the Chargers are one spot ahead. They have a highly ranked offense, which is more sustainable than its defensive counterpart. The only question is, can the Bengals’ offense improve?”
“The Cowboys, Ravens, and Patriots are all proving to be quality losses for the Chargers. Those defeats came against the best of the best, and LA has a few solid wins along the way, too. But we’re in a holding pattern to see just how good this team can be.” - Dalton Miller
Bleacher Report - #11
“The Los Angeles Chargers are slipping.”
“After a 4-1 start that saw the Bolts beat the Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns in successive weeks to claim first place in the AFC West, the Chargers have dropped three of four games, culminating in a seven-point loss to the Vikings at SoFi Stadium.”
“It was a sloppy game on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Justin Herbert threw for just 195 yards with a passer rating of 72.5, Defensively, the Chargers gave up 381 yards of offense and 24 first downs.”
“It’s a slide that has Gagnon more than a little concerned about the Chargers’ viability as a postseason contender.”
“‘So much for those high preseason expectations for the Chargers, who haven’t played a really strong all-around game since beating the Raiders 28-14 in Week 4,’ he said. ‘The offense has cooled down considerably, and the defense is very flawed. It’s pretty disappointing considering the talent on that roster.’” - Brad Gagnon
NFL.com - #11
“The Chargers remain a frustratingly inconsistent operation, particularly on offense. A week after Justin Herbert and Co. appeared to shake their slump in a win over the Eagles, the L.A. attack was again out of sync in a 27-20 loss to the Vikings, the Bolts’ third loss in five games at SoFi Stadium this season. The hit-or-miss nature of the offense is putting the other side of the ball in a vulnerable position, as Los Angeles continues to lose the time of possession battle on a weekly basis. A tired Chargers defense had the Vikings at second-and-17 and third-and-20 on the final possession of the game and surrendered first downs in each instance as Minnesota successfully ran out the clock for the win.” - Dan Hanzus
Sporting News - #11
“The Chargers’ electric offense hit another snag with Justin Herbert with his big arm not connecting deep as much. Their major run defense problems have now leaked having some downfield coverage issues.” - Vinnie Iyer
Yahoo Sports - #12
“The Bolts lost a close one to the Vikings and had QB Justin Herbert gotten one more chance, there’s a chance this final goes differently for Los Angeles. The Chargers have lost three of four, but none of those losses are against awful teams (Ravens, Patriots, Vikings). The Bolts’ run defense has to improve” - Nick Wojton
ESPN - #12
“It’s the next game, which is an essential one, since the Chargers have lost three out of the past four following a 4-1 start, the most recent defeat coming at home against the Vikings. The offense was stagnant against Minnesota, only gaining 253 yards and losing the time of possession battle by more than 12 minutes. The Chargers, who also have lost games to the Patriots and Ravens during the past month, need a victory over an AFC contender to get back on track for the playoffs. Beating the Steelers — who are a half-game ahead of them in the wild-card standings — in front of a national audience could set the Chargers up for a second-half push.” - Shelley Smith
Washington Post - #17
“The 4-1 start has been followed by a 1-3 skid. A good team shouldn’t lose at home to the Vikings, as the Chargers did Sunday. Their previous defeats this season had been to the Cowboys, Ravens and Patriots. So this was far more objectionable, and now it’s up to Coach Brandon Staley to pull things together.” - Mark Maske
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