Chargers Defense Slammed by NFL Columnist, Places in Bottom Tiers

Put up or shut up time for the Charger defense

The Los Angeles Chargers have one goal in mind this season: win the Super Bowl. Yes, that is the goal of many other NFL teams, but this team has a real shot at accomplishing that feat.

They've never done that as a franchise, but there's a first time for everything, right? It won't be easy, but LA has all the tools to get it done on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Both sides are stacked with talent, and their defense may be as talented or more talented than their offense on paper. 

However, not many experts or pundits believe that to be true, including The Ringer's Sheil Kapadia. Kapadia ranked the best to worst NFL defenses in 2023 and ranked LA at number 19 due to their mediocrity. 

There are some intriguing pieces here. Assuming that Jackson returns, the Chargers have good depth at corner. And safety Derwin James is one of the NFL’s most versatile players. But in the end, I need to see it to believe it. Head coach Brandon Staley has cooked up some impressive one-off game plans in the past—go back and watch what the Chargers did to shut down Miami last season—but overall, this group has been mediocre or below average under his direction. I’m unconvinced that the Chargers defense will make a leap in 2023.

(via The Ringer)

Going off of last season, this may be warranted. However, let's look at some context: many of the big-time LA players missed an extended amount of time. Many young players were thrown into the fire when they weren't expected to get much playing time. Now, they've gained that experience, and if the star players remain healthy, the Chargers will be a top-10 defense in this league. 

Defense wins you championships, and LA must be able to stop opponents to be in the upper echelon of teams. The LA defense was far from where it needed to be in 2022, but they'll look to flip the script in 2023, and we can't wait for what they have in store for the league.