NFL Bold Season Predictions Play It Safe With Chargers…And Nobody Would Complain

NFL predictions before Week 1 are here and the Chargers remain almost controversial.

Justin Herbert | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Los Angeles Chargers could use some good news and predictions right about now before Week 1 starts. 

Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers have some injury problems already. Executives and coaches around the NFL doubt them. One set of bold predictions even says the Chargers are headed for disaster that could have ramifications on Harbaugh’s tenure. 

Tough scene, considering we aren’t that far removed from a super-dose of hype being injected into the club by the arrival of Mike McDaniel to help Justin Herbert and a pretty solid all-around offseason. 

But it isn’t all bad everywhere. Some, even on the national scene, still see the Chargers making some serious noise. 

NFL bold season predictions analysis for Chargers

Justin Herbert | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Before the injury bug hit the likes of Rashawn Slater (briefly) and Tyler Biadasz (season-ending) this summer, it was common to see big NFL predictions involving the Chargers. 

Now, Daniel Popper of The Athletic seems to be the only one propping up the Chargers with a hopeful angle. 

Doing bold NFL predictions there, Popper explained why the Chargers will finish with a top-five offense. 

“The reason is new coordinator Mike McDaniel. McDaniel is going to get more out of quarterback Justin Herbert than any previous Chargers play caller,” Popper wrote. “McDaniel is going to get more out of a young receiving group that includes Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. He is going to give Herbert a more reliable running game. The upside here is one of the elite offenses in football.”

It’s pretty easy to forget that nobody should be overlooking McDaniel as a mind who can get the most out of a ceiling Herbert has yet to really reach. That, and we probably shouldn’t doubt him all that much considering the mess he had to deal with in Miami. 

And yes, the Chargers could have done much more for the offensive line this offseason on the interior. They grabbed a starting center, but underwhelmed with the signings of Kayode Awosika and Cole Strange while drafting Jake Slaughter, a center, to play guard, who now has to move back to center anyway. 

But McDaniel has lots of moving parts. The wideout cast is nice, Omarion Hampton has top-10 back potential and the tight end room is stacked with Oronde Gadsden, Charlie Kolar and David Njoku. 

The real hitter here? If the Chargers have a top-five offense, there’s a pretty good chance that means a playoff appearance, if not run, too. The defense should remain steady under a theme of continuity, so that type of outburst should mean plenty of wins. 

Bold? Not really, but given the national doubt about the Chargers otherwise, fair enough.

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