Chargers’ 2018 Schedule Prediction: Part 4 Current record after 13 weeks: 10-212/9 Week 14 Vs. Cincinnati Bengals This game looks a lot easier on paper than it ends up being once I really think about it.Looking at the Bengals’ offense Authentic Virgil Green Jersey , there are the obvious studs in WR AJ Green and RB Joe Mixon. QB Andy Dalton isn’t too shabby when the offense is clicking, either, and TE Tyler Eifert used to be one of the best before his injuries started to pile up.However, it is their defense that gives me the most pause. They have one of the best defensive line units in all of football with the likes of DT Geno Atkins, DE Carlos Dunlap, and up-and-coming second-year edge rushers, Carl Lawson and Jordan Willis.Add in young defensive back William Jackson with veterans Darqueze Dennard and Dre Kirkpatrick and you have yourself a defense that the Bolts cannot risk underestimating.Former first-round WR John Ross looks to finally be coming into his own and this spells potential danger if the Chargers aren’t able to stay on top of him. This is roughly in the same vein as when they play the Chiefs and they have to worry about WR Tyreek Hill. Both Ross and Hill are two of the fastest players in the NFL, with the former having set the 40-yard dash record at the 2017 NFL Combine.This game has one of the largest chances of being a trap game if the Chargers don’t show up like they should this late in the season. The Bengals possess strength at a lot of important positions and that cannot be overlooked. If the Bolts haven’t been hit with the injury bug by this point, this is a game they should win at home.2018 Record: 11-212/13 Week 15 @ Kansas City ChiefsIn week one’s contest, the Chargers came away with its’ first victory against the Chiefs in over four years. I noted that a win at home over KC would really start the year off on a high-note and really set the tone for the season. In their second match-up of the season Youth Caleb Sturgis Jersey , I don’t believe it goes the way of the Bolts again.Andy Reid is a phenomenal coach and I fully expect him to fix whatever problems burdened the Chiefs in week one. Patrick Mahomes should be a much better quarterback at this point in the season and I just can’t get behind the idea of the Chargers sweeping the Chiefs after not winning a game in the four seasons prior.We also cannot forget how the injury bug rears its’ ugly, ugly head at least once before the season is over. Last year, it was, coincidentally, the second match-up against the Chiefs where it struck, knocking out tight end Hunter Henry and a number of other players before the clock hit zero.I believe Reid works his magic and pulls out a victory at home to even the season series between these two teams.2018 record: 11-312/23 vs. Baltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens have been known for two things over the last few seasons:1.) An underrated defense that can cause numerous turnoversand2.) An inept passing game led by Joe Flacco.If you watched any of Baltimore’s games last year, you will have likely noticed that almost all of their wins coincided with the defense playing extremely well. Defensive backs Jimmy Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Tony Jefferson, and former Chargers safety Eric Weddle combine to make one of the best secondaries in the league.Their front seven includes a number of formidable players Jahleel Addae Jersey , as well, in DT Michael Pierce, DT Brandon Williams, LB C.J. Mosley, and the ageless-wonder OLB Terrell Suggs.They’ve also been one of the best run defenses in the league and that could lead to problems for the Chargers if they are unable to get anything going on the ground.Like everybody else, I am totally here for an Eric Weddle revenge game. If you told me after the game that Weddle snagged two interceptions and smacked Rivers on the behind after both of them, I wouldn’t second-guess a thing.I think the mistake-prone Chargers finally start to regress here after a stellar season up to this point and lose their second in a row.2018 record: 11-412/30 @ Denver BroncosFor the third-straight year, the Chargers end the season facing one of their divisional rivals. Two years ago, it was the Chiefs in their last game within the confines of Qualcomm Stadium. Last year, the Bolts won comfortably against the Raiders. This year Authentic Dan Feeney Jersey , the Chargers travel to Mile High to take on the Broncos out in Orange Crush country.A number of things could have happened between this game and the last. Keenum could be on a tear, half the ACLs on the Chargers could have spontaneously imploded, or anything in-between.The defense will likely be much-improved in 2018 so i’ll give the Broncos some leeway at home. This will be as tough as any of the other AFC West match-ups throughout the year and I believe this second contest between the two will be closer than the last as these two teams could both be playing for a spot in the playoffs (Chargers for the division crown, Broncos for a wild card spot).I predict the score of this game to be around 17-14 with the the Chargers narrowly escaping and punching their ticket to their first playoff-berth since 2013.2018 record: 12-4So there you have it, the entire slate of games picked.And I promise, I tried to be as realistic as possible without being a “homer”.A lot of these match-ups just looked great on paper and I’m well aware of all the crazy things that will likely go one throughout the season that cannot be foreseen in anyway. If the Chargers stay healthy and avoid any meltdowns a la 2016, they have a real shot at the record I predicted. But I wouldn’t be surprised to find them losing at least one or two more games. For the life of me, I just couldn’t pull the trigger on any other games to be losses.What do you guys think? Were there any games I predicted to be wins that you see as losses, and vice versa? Let’s talk about it.Chargers release first “unofficial” depth chart Now that the roster has been trimmed down to 53 players, the all important question is: who’s starting? The team has given out their first “unofficial” depth chart for the season and there are some interesting things going on. Let’s start with offense. Forrest Lamp is not starting...yet. This is pretty predictable. Lamp only played in one preseason game and at kickoff on Sunday will only have about 2 weeks of practice time. This is the right move but I doubt it stays this way for long. Antonio Gates has not practiced for the team yet but he is already TE2. That is probably in name only at this point. Sean Culkin is a superior blocker and is in game shape and will likely out-snap Gates this weekend. Everything else is pretty straight forward for the offense.On Defense
http://www.authenticlosangeleschargers. ... ser-jersey , things are probably more fluid and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the depth chart change before Sunday. First, Jatavis Brown and Kyle Emanuel starting at the OLB spots over rookies Uchenna Nwosu and Kyzir White. I don’t think Emanuel and Brown will be able to hold off the rookies for long, and regardless of their status as “starters” on this depth chart, Nwosu and White will rotate in heavily.This first version of the depth chart also has Rayshawn Jenkins over Derwin James. Sure. That one probably won’t even last until game time. With how quickly we have seen Derwin develop during the preseason, he’s got to be the starter on Sunday. Finally on special teams, I find it curious that JJ Jones was kept on the roster as a kick return specialist, but is still listed behind Travis Benjamin for Punt Returner, and behind both Desmond King AND Austin Ekeler for Kick Returner. I don’t buy that either, I think he will be deep to return kicks on Sunday. Custom Tennessee Titans Jerseys
