NFL - US Sports: LA Chargers season preview

bet365 News Team Aug 25 2022

When you share a stadium with the Super Bowl champions in a city that had no NFL team for two decades, you need to make a noise and fast.

The Los Angeles Chargers intend to make plenty of noise in 2022 as they build a roster around phenomenal young quarterback Justin Herbert and put their faith in second-year head coach Brandon Staley.

The Bolts are loaded on offense with running back Austin Ekeler coming off the best season of his career while Mike Williams and Keenan Allen form one of the best wide receiver duos in the AFC.

Staley urged the front office to make aggressive moves this offseason and they answered by trading for star edge rusher Khalil Mack and followed that with the signing of Pro Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson.

That should ensure the Chargers have much more playmaking ability on defence while a solid draft filled roster holes and added further potential.

What	NFL Season 2022/23
Where	All across the USA with three games scheduled for London, one for Munich and one in Mexico City
When	8th September 2022 - 12th February 2023
How to watch	The vast majority of games are live and on-demand with NFL Game Pass, while selected games are available via Sky Sports and bet365's Sports Live Streaming
Odds	BUF Bills 6/1, TB Buccaneers 7/1, KC Chiefs 10/1, LA Rams 10/1, GB Packers 12/1

Where did the Los Angeles Chargers finish last season?

3rd AFC West (9-8)

What are the Los Angeles Chargers' hopes for the season?

Like their two other ambitious rivals in the AFC West, the Chargers' aim in 2022 is to end the Kansas City Chiefs' six-year reign over the division.

The Chargers are 9/4 to win their first division title since 2009 with Andy Reid's men 8/5 to retain their AFC West crown.

The head coach made some significant changes on special teams over the offseason, signing a new punter and long snapper and hiring a new coordinator of the unit in a bid to gain an edge in close games.

Five of Los Angeles' eight regular season defeats last year were by seven points or fewer.

Who are the Los Angeles Chargers' opening opponents?

In a delicious twist of fate, the Las Vegas Raiders will head west to SoFi Stadium in Week 1 to renew old rivalries straight out of the gate.

The Chargers probably can't believe their luck that they get the chance to avenge last season's heart-breaking Week 18 loss so soon.

Not only will it be a high-stakes matchup between two teams expecting to fight it out for a playoff berth, but there are storylines that leap off the page everywhere you look.

Staley gets to take on new Raiders HC Josh McDaniels, Khalil Mack debuts as a Charger against his old team and one of the best cornerbacks in the league, J.C. Jackson, will be detailed to shadow new Vegas wideout Davante Adams.

The Raiders are 33/20 on the Money Line with the Chargers at 20/37 to get the win that could help them forget the raw feeling they were left with last season.

When are the Los Angeles Chargers' key matchups?

The Chargers' toughest stretch of the 2022 season begins in Week 10 when they face a road game against the San Francisco 49ers on primetime TV.

A week later, Los Angeles host the Chiefs before traveling to Arizona in Week 12 to take on a Cardinals team that should be bolstered by the return of DeAndre Hopkins from his suspension.

Next up will be a rematch with the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, the scene of Las Vegas' 35-32 victory in overtime last January.

Related NFL News

NFL - US Sports: Kansas City Chiefs season preview

NFL - US Sports: Denver Broncos season preview

NFL - US Sports: Phil Agius' antepost preview

NFL - US Sports: Indianapolis Colts season preview

Who is the Los Angeles Chargers' head coach?

The Chargers hired Staley in the belief he could be the defensive Sean McVay.

Like his former Los Angeles Rams head coach, Staley is young, full of energy and bursting with innovative ideas that suggest he sees football in a different way to others.

In his lone year as defensive coordinator with the Rams, they finished first in the league in yards and points allowed.

His first season as Chargers head coach saw the team compile a 9-8 record and finish third in the AFC West as he earned a reputation for being one of the most aggressive fourth-down play-callers in the NFL.

The Chargers went for it on fourth down 34 times last season - tied for the third-most in the NFL behind only the Lions (41) and Bears (36).

Which players have the Los Angeles Chargers signed?

CB J. C. Jackson (New England Patriots)
DT Austin Johnson (New York Giants)
DT Sebastian Joseph-Day (Los Angeles Rams)
LS Josh Harris (Atlanta Falcons)
TE Gerald Everett (Seattle Seahawks)
P J. K. Scott (Jacksonville Jaguars)
WR/KR DeAndre Carter (Washington Commanders)
LB Troy Reeder (Los Angeles Rams)
C Will Clapp (New Orleans Saints)
CB Bryce Callahan (Denver Broncos)
OLB Kyle Van Noy (New England Patriots)
T Zack Bailey (Washington Commanders)
DE Morgan Fox (Carolina Panthers)
TE Sage Surratt (Birmingham Stallions)
G Cameron Hunt (Birmingham Stallions)

Which players have left the Los Angeles Chargers?

OG Oday Aboushi
TE Stephen Anderson (Arizona Cardinals)
TE Jared Cook
OLB Kyler Fackrell (Las Vegas Raiders)
CB Chris Harris Jr.
CB Davontae Harris (Chicago Bears)
RB Justin Jackson (Detroit Lions)
DE Justin Jones (Chicago Bears)
NT Linval Joseph
G Senio Kelemete
OLB Uchenna Nwosu (Seattle Seahawks)
LS Matt Overton
C Scott Quessenberry (Houston Texans)
WR/KR Andre Roberts (Carolina Panthers)
G Michael Schofield (Chicago Bears)
CB Ryan Smith
ILB Kyzir White (Philadelphia Eagles)

Who are the Los Angeles Chargers' key players?

Offensive MVP	Justin Herbert
Defensive MVP	Joey Bosa
Top rookie	OG Zion Johnson (1st Round)
Breakout star	CB Asante Samuel Jr.

It could have gone either way for Herbert when he was thrust into the Chargers' lineup in Week 2 of his rookie year, but the quarterback played like an accomplished veteran from the get-go.

He built on that astonishing 2020 campaign by throwing for 5,014 yards, 38 touchdowns and just 15 interceptions while finishing with a passer rating of 97.7 last year.

Asante Samuel Jr., last season's standout rookie performer, looks primed for a breakout campaign playing opposite Jackson in the Chargers' secondary.

The cornerback finished with 43 total tackles, 11 passes defended and two interceptions — one against the Cowboys and another on the road against the Chiefs - in his first season as a pro.

Former Boston College star Zion Johnson should improve what looks like one of the better offensive lines in the NFL with the first-round draft pick projected as the starting right guard.