The Los Angeles Chargers have high hopes in Year 2 of the Jim Harbaugh regime. However, after the Chargers fell to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round, meeting those high expectations might be tough for the 2025 NFL season. Some Chargers predictions have them possibly winning the AFC West. Yet, this Chargers preview will have different picks. These Chargers' bold predictions may surprise many.
Los Angeles has +2500 odds to win the Super Bowl, according to FanDuel. This ties them with the Denver Broncos for the 12th-best odds to win the title. Ultimately, it will come down to how Justin Herbert leads the offense and whether the defense can make the plays necessary. This Chargers preview will outline some of that.
The craziest Chargers' bold predictions would be to make a Super Bowl prediction. Yet, this team does not seem ready for that. Instead, these three Chargers' bold predictions will sound familiar, yet all are possible.
The Chargers will sweep the Denver Broncos (again)
This has nothing to do with the Broncos being bad. In fact, they are going to be an outstanding team. The Chargers swept the Broncos in the 2024 season, beating them 23-16 in Denver and 34-27 at home. Curiously, Denver and Los Angeles have split the past 10 games. The Chargers jumped out to a 23-0 lead before holding on in the first win. Then, they rallied from a 24-13 deficit to stun the Broncos in the second win.
After playing the Kansas City Chiefs in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and the Las Vegas Raiders in Sin City, the Bolts will meet the Broncos in Week 3 at SoFi Stadium. Ultimately, both teams could be 2-0 heading into this game. There is a chance the game will be very close. Of course, both games went down to the very wire last season.
For whatever reason, this team under Harbaugh matches up well against the Broncos. Additionally, the Broncos could have a division title locked up by then, which might give them little incentive to play their starters in Week 18 against the Bolts. That is another reason why the Bolts will sweep the Broncos again.
The Bolts will finish ahead of the Chiefs (technically)
The Chiefs have dominated the AFC West for eight consecutive seasons. Yet, the competition is better than ever before. The 2025 NFL season will see the Chiefs attempt to fend off the Broncos and the Chargers. Therefore, the biggest Chargers' bold predictions have them finishing ahead of the Chiefs, technically.
The Chargers went 11-6 last season and will likely finish with the same exact record this season. Overall, they have a schedule that includes games against the AFC South. However, they also compete against the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Miami Dolphins. The Bolts also have to play the Minnesota Vikings. Regardless, they will prosper over the Chiefs this season because they will win the tiebreaker against the Chiefs when the defending AFC West champions also finish 11-6.
While the Chiefs do better against the NFC opponents, the Chargers will do better against the AFC, giving them the edge in the standings. As a result, this will give the Chargers the fifth seed in the AFC. Therefore, instead of playing the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Wild Card, the Chargers will draw an all-too-familiar rematch with the Houston Texans.
The Chargers will lose to the Texans in the Wild Card (again)
How often does a team play the same team in the same exact round in the following season with the same result? The answer? Not often. Ironically, the last time it happened in the Wild Card round also involved the Texans. In fact, the Texans beat the Cincinnati Bengals in back-to-back wildcard games in 2011 and 2012. Of course, the Chiefs and Bengals played in two consecutive AFC Title games.
The Chargers can avoid that fate if they win the AFC West. This would draw them an “easier” opponent and a home game. Despite being a Harbaugh-coached team, this team has not proven it can win a tough playoff game on the road. After the Chargers cut Joey Bosa, the defense will look very different this season. Kyle Kennard could become a new force on the pass rush, and that might change things. Yet, it's hard to see anything looking remotely different, especially if they draw the Texans again.
The Texans demolished the Chargers despite not having a good offensive line. Unless the Chargers can capitalize on this, it could become their reality for a second consecutive season. While facing the Texans in the same exact round is unlikely, it is possible. If the Bolts face the Texans again in the playoffs, they need to come up with a different game plan to have a chance to steal the game on the road.
