Charger Power Rankings / Ratings / Standings Going Into Week 18

[Bolt-O]

The early ones, before MNF:

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Dalton Miller - Pro Football Network 11 (LW 11)
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/n...2021-nflwk-18/

The Chargers were incredibly efficient on offense against the Denver Broncos. They got a few big plays on the strength of Justin Herbert's right arm, but they did a fantastic job sustaining drives.

In fact, they had drives of 14, 11, and 14 plays in the game, keeping the ball in the hands of their offense. More importantly, LA kept their underwhelming defense off the field. However, the Chargers™ defense was stout against the run for once, which was a recipe for disaster for the Broncos, who really wanted to lean on the ground game.

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Vinnie Iyer - Sporting News 11 (LW 12)
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/...01tm72q1ugl43e

The Chargers cleaned up their messes from the Texans disaster with utter domination in Denver. As it should be, it's them against the Raiders for a playoff spot behind the Chiefs. They are more dangerous than Las Vegas because of Justin Herbert.

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Matt Johnson - Sportsnaut 12 (LW 12)
https://sportsnaut.com/nfl-power-ran...pdated-weekly/

It all comes down to Sunday Night Football in Week 18, the last game of the 2021 NFL regular season. If the Los Angeles Chargers win, they make the playoffs and become a sneaky pick for a first-round upset. But we've seen this team fall short in big moments time and time again. The time is now to end that narrative.

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Russell S. Baxter - Fansided 15 (LW 15)
https://fansided.com/2022/01/03/nfl-...ayoff-picture/

The inconsistent Chargers hosted the Broncos looking to end a brief two-game losing streak. Justin Herbert threw for 237 yards and a pair of scores to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, respectively.

Austin Ekeler ran for 58 yards and one score. And after a Denver field goal in the fourth quarter, special teams star Andre Roberts returned the ensuing kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown. The Los Angeles™ defense limited the Broncos to 83 yards rushing.

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[Bolt-O]

Individual Rankers:

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Frank Schwab - Yahoo Sports 14 (LW 14)

https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-power-rankings-super-bowl-hopes-for-cowboys-buccaneers-and-chiefs-took-a-big-hit-142042514.html

The Chargers outplayed the Raiders in the first meeting, taking a fairly easy 28-14 win. That doesn't mean it'll happen again, but the Chargers are the better team in a huge Week 18 game. And they're fully capable of losing.

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Walter Cherepinsky - Walter Football 12 (LW 12)

http://walterfootball.com/nflpowerrankings.php

Overrated team: The Chargers are a flashy team, but they entered Week 17 just 12th in DVOA, and they saw the Broncos average 0.5 more yards per play. This was a week after the Texans demlished the Chargers.

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Nate Davis - USA Today 12 (LW 15)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/nate-davis/2022/01/04/nfl-power-rankings-week-18-2021-packers-chiefs-bengals/9086769002/

Justin Herbert's 35 TD passes are a single-season record for an organization that has featured John Hadl, Dan Fouts, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers under center.

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Pete Prisco - CBS Sports 11 (LW 12)

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/powerrankings/

If they beat the Raiders this week, they are in the playoffs. They beat up on a depleted Broncos team to put them in that situation.

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Dan Hanzus - NFL.com 13 (LW 14)

https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-week-18-2021-nfl-season

The Chargers took care of business against an undermanned Broncos team. Now, it's all in front of them. Beat the Raiders on Sunday night in Vegas and the Chargers will be back in the playoffs for the first time in three years. Fatalistic Bolts fans might feel like a primetime win-and-in showcase sets up for more heartbreak for this star-crossed franchise. This is understandable given the history, but L.A. should enter that game with the deeper team and -- most importantly -- the superior quarterback. iI's time to ride Justin Herbert to the tournament.

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Bryan Fischer - Athlon Sports 13 (LW 15)

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/nfl-power-rankings

If the Chargers are going to execute in all three phases of the game as they did against Denver, a return to the postseason for the first time since 2018 is more than in the cards.

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Matt Verderame - Fansided.com 12 (LW 13)

https://fansided.com/2022/01/04/nfl-power-rankings-week-18-bengals-cowboys-colts/

The Chargers only need to win a game they're expected to for a playoff spot. What can go wrong?

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Mike Florio - PFT/NBC Sports 14 (LW 16)

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/01/04/pfts-week-18-2021-nfl-power-rankings/

It shouldn't be coming down to win and in for the Chargers.

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[Bolt-O]

Consensus Rankers:

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ESPN Nation Consensus 15 (LW 16)

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/32987031/nfl-power-rankings-week-18-1-32-poll-plus-new-year-resolutions-every-team

New Year's resolution: Re-do Justin Herbert's contract

I know Herbert is in the second year of his rookie contract and rules are rules, but his base salary this year is $1,818,125. He certainly won't starve and will get paid big time in his second contract, but still. It seems low for a QB with a shot of leading his team to its first playoff berth since 2009, who made the Pro Bowl, just set a franchise record for TD passes at 35 (besting Dan Fouts and Philip Rivers) and is being paid far below players who have done far less: Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott. Herbert has proven himself. -- Shelley Smith

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MMQB SI.COM Consensus 14 (LW 12)

https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/01/04/nfl-power-rankings-packers-secure-top-ranking-titans-chiefs-buccaneers

A win and in opportunity for Brandon Staley in his first year may come to define our confidence long term in the young head coach. Staley has been responsible for some of our favorite coaching moments this year, though his inability to patch up a thin rushing defense has left the Chargers vulnerable down the stretch. -- Conor Orr

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Bleacher Report Consensus 12 (LW 15)

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2952036-2021-br-nfl-power-rankings-where-does-every-team-stand-entering-week-18

Win and in. That's the edict for the Los Angeles Chargers now.

After walloping the Denver Broncos on Sunday, the Chargers are 9-7 and control their destiny. Notch a win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18, and it's on to the playoffs.

After losing in stunning fashion to the Houston Texans the week before, head coach Brandon Staley told reporters that the Bolts got back on track by treating the Denver game as a season unto itself.

"Each week has a life of its own in the NFL. It's having a life of its own since the beginning, and that's the way we need to treat things around here," Staley said. "And the more, the longer that we're here, the more people will realize that every week is going to feel like this coming week."

The game also featured some history for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert became the fastest player to reach 800 career completions (31 games) and at 23 years, 298 days became the second-youngest player in league history to get to 65 TD passes. He also set a new Chargers single-season record with 35 touchdown passes.

But none of that will matter if the Chargers can't get past their AFC West rivals next week and into the playoffs.

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Danny Kelly - The Ringer Consensus 14 (LW 15)

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2022/1/4/22866228/power-rankings-rams-buccaneers-titans-raiders

The Contenders 7-14
<no blurb>

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[Bolt-O]

Current Seeding:

[Bolt-O]

Football Outsiders DVOA:



Offense: #3, Pass #3. Rush #14
Defense: #26, Pass #23, Rush #32
Special Teams: #23

[Bolt-O]

Aikman Ratings:

[Bolt-O]

The final blurbs of the day, both consensus. The Athletic consensus tomorrow


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Reddit NFLPowerRankers Consensus 12 (LW 13)

https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/rw3af3/official_rnfl_week_17_power_rankings/

A statement win was needed this week, not just because it was imperative for playoff chances, but for morale. The Chargers needed to show that they could take care of business when push came to shove, and it happened in all three phases against the Broncos. There was lots of good to take away from this game, including Justin Herbert breaking the Chargers' single season TD record, but enough cannot be said about Andre Roberts. He has singlehandedly made the return game an actual factor on a special teams unit that has yet to find its footing. One more week, one playoff scenario: win and in. SNF at Vegas should be a good one.

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AP Pro 32 Consensus 14 (LW 15)

http://www.pro32.ap.org/poll

<no blurb>

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[Bolt-O]

Rankings Summary




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The Athletic Consensus 12 (LW 16)

https://theathletic.com/3051416/2022/01/05/nfl-power-rankings-week-18-future-team-mvps-including-cooper-kupp-kyle-pitts-and-others-on-the-rise/

Future MVP: We can all agree there's no player more important to the Chargers than quarterback Justin Herbert. But there's no player more important to Herbert than left tackle Rashawn Slater. The rookie first-round pick from Northwestern deserves All-Pro consideration after allowing just five sacks and 21 total pressures (Pro Football Focus) this season. We look forward to watching Slater keep Herbert comfortable in the pocket for years to come.

[Bolt-O]

Ratings summary:

[jubei]

Slater has allowed 5 sacks this season? That seems high for someone who seems to stonewall all the defenders on his side.

[BT3241]

I don't think the power ranking will mean too much its the playoffs for the Chargers they don't have to wait first game is against the Raiders. The Raiders are also in the same position. Its do or die right to the end.

[Formula 21]

PFF

14. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS


Justin Herbert did not regress in Year 2. In fact, he took his game to a new level. Herbert has the lowest turnover-worthy play rate in the league (1.8%), and it somehow drops when he’s pressured (just 1.0%). For the second straight season, he has been unusually good under pressure and in high-leverage situations, and the team has constructed an offensive line around him that puts him in fewer tough spots.

Only Tampa Bay and Dallas have offensive lines with a better pass-blocking efficiency metric than the Chargers this season. Their defense is too top-heavy, but with Brandon Staley as head coach, it has the potential to show up for big games.