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From Last to First? Ex-NFL QB Believes Los Angeles Chargers Can Topple Chiefs in AFC West

Originally posted on LAFB Network | By Ryan Anderson | Last updated 4/10/24

Former quarterback and current analyst for the NFL Network, David Carr went on NFL Total Access and was asked which team he thought had the best chance of going from worst to first. His answer was for the Los Angeles Chargers to go from last place in their division to first place.

As, host, Sherree Burruss pointed out, in the last 21 seasons, 19 teams have gone from the last-place team to the first-place team in their division.

While a major improvement is expected with wholesale changes in the front office and coaching staff, this would mean the Los Angeles Chargers dethroning the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won the AFC West in the last eight consecutive seasons.

Here is Carr’s reasoning;

“I’m gonna go with the Los Angeles Chargers. so I think that Harbaugh, being an experienced coach is inheriting a great football team is and not necessarily for record standpoint, but from a roster standpoint. This is a good group, and I think they have a good young quarterback. I like the components they’ve added. I think they’re gonna run the ball more effectively. That’s gonna give more opportunities for [Justin Herbert] down the field to spread this thing out and really, really take advantage of the rosters they have and the city they live in, and the stadium that they they play in. This group is ready to go.”

“And I think Harbaugh understands that. And that’s the reason that he left college football because he finally found the right opportunity, a team that he knows that he has the experience with. This is a team that could absolutely do it. The Chiefs showed a little bit, at least in the division that there was an opportunity for a team to go up there and grab it. No one just they just didn’t do it. But the opportunity was there. And I think that the Chargers are more than capable of doing it. Justin Herbert is capable of going toe to toe.”

Los Angeles Chargers Versus the Chiefs

The Chargers have lost five straight games to the Chiefs. Their last win came early in the 2021 season. Since Patrick Mahomes became the Chiefs’ starting quarterback the Chargers have lost nine of the 12 matchups. Although many of those games have been competitive affairs, with the average number of points they’ve lost by is 6.3 points.

The Los Angeles Chargers over/under win total bet is set at 8.5 games, while the Chiefs is set at 11.5.

Herbert has had two of the best games of his career against the Chiefs. In Week 16 of the 2021 season, Herbert completed 71 percent of his passes, there for 302 yards and three touchdowns. In Week 3 of that season, he threw four touchdown passes and completed 68 percent of his passes. The Chargers won both games.

This article first appeared on LAFB Network and was syndicated with permission.

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