Can the LA Chargers make the NFL Playoffs this season?

The LA Chargers haven't appeared in a postseason game in four years. As the ninth-placed team in the AFC postseason hunt, Brandon Staley’s team is now outside the contention places.

Last year, the Los Angeles Chargers' hopes of making the playoffs were eliminated by the Las Vegas Raiders after a Week 18 loss. This season's Week 13 had far different stakes, but the Raiders still came out on top against the Chargers, 27-20, and delivered an equally crushing blow.

The Chargers would have been in fine condition if they had defeated the Raiders. At 7-5, they would have stood a better chance of qualifying for the postseason.

For the Chargers to qualify for the AFC playoffs, they need to reach 10 victories. This implies that they must end the season with a 4-1 record. The Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans are the two opponents they will face in their next two games, which will be an issue. The Chargers will be underdogs in games against those two groups.

In the league, injuries are a constant concern, and they have contributed significantly to the Chargers' average standings after 12 outings. However, if the Los Angeles team hopes to make it to the postseason games, they must solve their defensive issues. Their defensive line is surrendering the most yards per carry in the NFL in 2022, with 5.43 yards per carry.

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LA Chargers' schedule for the rest of the regular season

Here are the Chargers' remaining opponents with only six games left on the calendar:

• Miami Dolphins | Week 14
• Tennessee Titans | Week 15
• Indianapolis Colts | Week 16
• The Los Angeles Rams | Week 17
• Denver Broncos | Week 18

The Dolphins and Titans, whom they will play in back-to-back games, are the only two teams with better win-to-loss ratios. The other three teams, notably the Broncos, who the Chargers have previously faced and defeated in 2022, have a chance to act as spoilers.

It's a likely scenario for the LA Chargers to get over the line, given how much more difficult their rivals' matchups appear to be, but Staley's team has a history of losing crucial games.

Losing three consecutive games as the campaign enters its final three weeks, with the Dolphins and Titans coming up next, would jeopardize the LA Chargers' year and Staley's job security. However, the fact that three of their last five games will be played at the SoFi Stadium may work to their advantage.

The LA Chargers would be well-positioned for their last three games if they were to win their next two contests, which would be considered significant upsets.