Chargers News: How LA Measures Up In National Week 17 NFL Power Rankings

After a "good" loss, how is LA faring around the league?
Chargers News: How LA Measures Up In National Week 17 NFL Power Rankings
Chargers News: How LA Measures Up In National Week 17 NFL Power Rankings /
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Following your Los Angeles Chargers' shockingly respectable last-second loss 24-22 to the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, the Bolts were officially eliminated from playoff contention with a paltry 5-10 record and two games left to play.

So how's Los Angeles faring with national pundits following this ultimately doomed performance?

Eric Edholm of NFL.com bumps Buffalo up a spot following its win, while keeping LA dead even with its ranking of No. 27 last week:

"There still can be interesting developments in lost seasons, and the reduced role of Derwin James in Saturday's tight loss to Buffalo certainly opened my eyes. In essence, he was a nickel corner in the game, taking only a few snaps at safety and playing just 40 of the 52 defensive snaps," Edholm writes in part.

Josh Kendall of The Athletic has also opted not to move Los Angeles one iota, keeping the club firmly ensconced as the No. 28 team in the land.

"There’s one reason the Chargers’ job opening will be the most coveted in the league this offseason, and it’s not the Spanos family’s history of throwing money around," Kendall writes. "It’s Herbert, who was 11th in the league in passing yards (3,134), 13th in EPA per attempt (.14) and 14th in passer rating (93.2) before a finger injury ended his season after Week 14. The numbers don’t tell Herbert’s story, though. The tape does, and if the right coach lands in Los Angeles, look out."

Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports, meanwhile, promotes the Chargers up a peg, from No. 28 to No. 27.

"It was good for the Chargers to compete like they did against the Bills, even in a loss," Schwab opines. "You don't want to finish the season being that team, the one that doesn't show up for the final month. That makes for a long offseason and (more) people lose their jobs that way."

Similarly, Mike Florio of NBC Sports is also impressed with how LA performed over the weekend. He moves the Bolts up three spots, from the absolute nadir of the list, No. 32, all the way up to a still-bad No. 29.

"Interim coach Giff Smith deserves credit for making chicken salad out of last week’s 63-point disaster," Florio writes.

Nate Davis of USA Today, who also offered up a ringing endorsement of the Bills (his No. 4-ranked team), actually elevated the Chargers from No. 31... albeit to a still-horrible No. 30.

"A team that was supposed to wrest the Hollywood spotlight from the Rams will not only be getting a new script in 2024 but is facing huge cast turnover," Davis observes.

Here's our roundup of Week 16's national power rankings, if you're curious.


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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Alex Kirschenbaum is a maniacal sports fiend who derives his only pleasure in life from watching adults play children's games.