Chargers ranked as one of NFL's scariest wild card contenders

The Los Angeles Chargers are in the thick of competing for a playoff berth. They currently sit as the fifth seed in the AFC with an 8-4 record. The first year under the regime of Joe Hortiz and Jim Harbaugh has exceeded expectations thus far with five games left.

The Chargers would currently be the first wild card team in the AFC if the season ended today. They'll have a chance to take down the rival Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, but likely aren't going to win the AFC West. With that being said, where do they rank among the league's top wild card teams?

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes the Chargers are the fifth-scariest wild card contenders.

"Harbaugh himself is a big reason why," Knox wrote. "He has a proven track record of playoff success, having taken the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl and the Michigan Wolverines to a national title. L.A.'s first-year head coach has also constructed a team that is built to win on the road. It has one of the league's top defenses (fewest points allowed), a functional running game and a high-level quarterback in Justin Herbert."

Their placing is a little odd, as Knox placed the Denver Broncos one spot ahead of the Chargers. The Chargers beat the Broncos 23-16 earlier in the season and have one more meeting in two weeks. Nonetheless, the Chargers are a dangerous team as the playoffs near.

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