RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesThe Chargers are expected to be a playoff team. After coming up short year after year, they have built a roster that could see them get over the hump.
For many teams, things need to go right to be the last team standing, and the Chargers are no exception.
Anything short of a postseason berth for the Chargers will be underwhelming. Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report evaluated every team's path to the playoffs for the 2026 season and categorized the Chargers as a team "living on the bubble."
"Jim Harbaugh has won 11 games in each of his first two seasons, and that offense could get a jolt from Mike McDaniel as well as the return to health of its two pillar tackles. That said, the Chiefs are still there and the Broncos are an emerging juggernaut."
Gagnon ranked the Chargers 11th on the list, with much of it having to do with the Chiefs and Broncos fighting for the top spot in the division.
Last season, the Broncos snapped the Chiefs' streak of nine consecutive AFC West titles. The last time the Chargers won the AFC West was in 2009, going 13-3 that season.
If the Chargers want any shot at the division, they will need to reach 12 or 13 wins. Los Angeles has won 11 games in back-to-back seasons, finishing second in the division.
The Chargers haven't hosted a playoff game in nearly two decades, but the roster they've assembled gives them a legitimate chance to change that this season.
According to BetMGM , the Chargers playoff odds sit at -185. Their odds of winning the divison are at +185, second behind the Chiefs, who sit at +180.
If the Chargers can win their first division title in 17 years, they'll put themselves in a strong position to make a deep playoff run and potentially be the last team standing.
Super Bowl LXI is scheduled for February 14, 2027 at SoFi Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers face challenging road to playoffs in 2026, analyst says
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