After three weeks of regular season play in the National Football League you know the Los Angeles Chargers must have thought this was going to be their season. Despite losing one of the best offensive linemen in the game for the season in early August when left tackle Rashawn Slater was injured, the Chargers opened the regular season with a win over the team that has won their division nine straight seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jim Harbaugh’s team won a second straight game in Week Two against the Las Vegas Raiders and then got the benefit of a two-game bulge over Patrick Mahomes and company when the Chiefs lost at home to the Philadelphia Eagles. If the Chiefs are out of the race two games back in the AFC West cellar, and the Chargers tacked on a third straight win over the Denver Broncos, which means three games into the season the Chargers have a two game lead over everyone in their division and have already pinned all their division opponents with a loss, confidence was hitting a high.
It appeared clear sailing for the team from Southern California.
Then reality set in. The Chargers lost another key player to injury, linebacker Khalil Mack, and a pair of games to the New York Giants and Washington Commanders. Last week, with their division rivals closing in on them in the AFC West race, the Chargers needed a last second field goal to slip by the one-win Miami Dolphins.
How is that confidence level for Harbaugh’s men now?
Not too high.
The Denver Broncos have caught them with four wins in six decisions, and the Chiefs are lurking just one game back after winning three of their most recent four games.
No cushion now.
No bloated prospects for a team that hasn’t won their division since 2009.
Nope, the focus and enthusiasm the Chargers used to bolt to the top of their race has now been replaced by a concern that they just may not be that good. Maybe both the Broncos and Chiefs are better than them and their early lead in the race to the playoffs is now precarious with the possibility of them falling out of the top spot in the west.
Today, their two primary opponents in the AFC West are probably going to win. The Broncos and Chiefs are both home and favored by more than a touchdown over the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders respectively. And, while Denver and Kansas City have opponents that would be considered below average, the Chargers are facing a team that has as good of a record as any team in the league, the Indianapolis Colts.
Behind revitalized quarterback Daniel Jones, the Colts have rolled to the most points in the entire league, their 194 is three more than the team with the second most, the Detroit Lions.
When you have a point total that exceeds the highly regarded Lions, and more wins than every team in your conference, you know your opponent's attention is going to be grabbed.
Which is exactly what the Chargers need to reignite their winning ways.
The Colts are having a great season, but their success will simply light the fuse to spark the Chargers to a convincing home win.
Qoxhi Picks: Los Angeles Chargers (-1½) over Indianapolis Colts