Power Rankings

[Formula 21]

We have 5 games left against teams above us in the power rankings (DEN, KC, CIN), 4 against teams lower than us. Taking care of business against lower ranked teams gets us 4 wins to 8-8. Steal a game or two from the better teams gets us a shot at the playoffs. And CIN, KC and DEN all play here.

[Buck]

If we split kc and Denver we will win the wild card.

[Panama]

If we split kc and Denver we will win the wild card.

That would put us at 6-5 with 5 other games unknown.

[Buck]

Yep, not fact or anything, that's just my opinion on the matter.

[oneinchpunch]

yahoo:

NFL Power Rankings Week 9: San Diego Chargers Should Brace for Collapse


The San Diego Chargers went into their well-earned bye week with a record of 4-3. They have been a bit of a surprise in the NFL this year and their fans deserve a ray of sunshine after having endured the Norv Turner Era of Frustrating Mediocrity (also known as the N.T.E.F.T.).

During their week off I hope the team rested up a little, prepared for their next game and, most importantly, pleaded to the football gods for their extreme good luck to continue.

Their next game is against the Washington Redskins who allow 32.7 points and almost 400 yards of offense a game. Oh, man, they stink. But you know who else gives up almost 400 yards a game? The Chargers. Yikes.

San Diego really needs a win this week because they're going to lose at least 5 of the next 6 against teams like the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Here is a look at the Chargers in some of this week's NFL power rankings.

Yahoo -- Frank Schwab -- No. 12 (Last week: No. 10)

"In Week 8 they became the clear favorite for the sixth seed in the AFC, and they didn't even play."

This is a dubious achievement at best. I agree that there is no clear pick for that sixth seed, but I think we've all watched enough football to know that when a conference is thin like the AFC this year, sometimes we have to wait until week 14 or 15 to know who it will be.

Fox Sports -- Brian Billick -- No. 12 (Last week: No. 11)

"The Chargers are putting up 402.9 yards per game this season… with Vincent Brown, Eddie Royal and a rookie as their starting wide receivers. Kudos to Philip Rivers, Mike McCoy, and Ken Whisenhunt."

This San Diego offense really has been impressive so far and they should be commended. But they've only played one team with a winning record, so let's not get too excited here. Also, as terrible as the Redskins have played, they've managed to get 394 yards per game playing against four teams with winning records.

NFL.com -- Elliot Harrison -- No. 11 (Last week: No. 11)

"Bye week in San Diego. We literally can't wait until this team gets Denver (on Nov. 10) and Kansas City (on Dec. 29) at home. Been saying all year that the Chargers wouldn't be pushovers, and if you've watched them this season, you know that assertion certainly has held true.

"Mentioned last week that Philip Rivers is my Comeback Player of the Year, hands down, but Antonio Gates might be second. He's just seven catches and 41 yards behind his totals for all of 2012. Wow."

A healthy Antonio Gates really has been the key to the offense and unlike, Rivers, is actually deserving of a Comeback Player award, because he is actually coming back from something. That is, assuming he stays back and doesn't get injured again.

CBSSports.com - Pete Prisco -- No. 14 (Last week: No. 15)

"At 4-3 coming off the bye, they have to be thinking playoffs. Philip Rivers has been really good. They have to go to the East coast again this week at Washington."

Playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs?! The Chargers have 11 games remaining and it's a real stretch to see them winning even four of them. No matter how thin the AFC is, they're going to need nine wins to get in the playoffs.

ESPN.com -- No. 11 (Last week: No. 12)

"The only quarterback with more 400-yard games in a season than Philip Rivers' three is Dan Marino in 1984 (four). The Redskins defense looks capable of helping Rivers make history."

It seems like the way the game is evolving that 400-yard passing games will be more and more regular. After having endured the N.T.E.F.M., there are few that deserve the honor more than Rivers.

This upcoming game has all the makings of a barn-burner - high-scoring offenses and porous defenses. And after last week's debacle against the Denver Broncos, the Redskins are primed for another butt-kicking.

That's a service the Chargers are more than happy to deliver -- especially since they'll be the ones on the receiving end for most of the remaining games this season.

[sandiego17]

11 games remaining means playoff games, doesn't it?

[Panama]

11 games remaining means playoff games, doesn't it?

Very astute observation. He's either got us as winning the Wild Card round and losing in the divisional round or with a first-round bye and losing in the conference championship.

[Wheels]

What good luck have we exactly been showered with? It couldn't be the health of our players. We also didn't manage to play all backup QB's like a certain undefeated team in our division. I guess our luck is that we have a winning record, and since we didn't earn those victories, we should feel lucky.

[sandiego17]

Very astute observation. He's either got us as winning the Wild Card round and losing in the divisional round or with a first-round bye and losing in the conference championship.

At the same time, its a stretch to win 4 of those 11. Basically, 8-8 (maybe 7-9, considering 4 is a stretch) will get the Chargers in, and then they win a wild card. Awesome.

[Buck]

That guy who wrote that can eat a dick. Only we are allowed to talk that way about the Chargers.

[Wheels]

Ha, exactly! I just took it as exceeding his low expectations = lucky. When I think you can make the case the Bolts have overcome a ton of adversity, and some really shitty in-game luck like the Texans and Titans games.

[Heatmiser]

How many teams with winning records has KC played?

Browns? Cowboys? Jaguars? Eagles? Giants? Texans? Titans? Raiders?

That's what I thought, Brian Billick. Oh and when the Chargers played their schedule some of those teams had winning records when they played.

Cowboys, Colts, Titans, Eagles

TG