Chargers Power Rankings Roundup: Bolts ride elite defense to 2nd consecutive win - Bolts From The Blue

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The Chargers dominated the Browns 27-10 on Sunday to win their second consecutive game and improve to 5-3.

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A dominating 27-10 win over the Chargers pushed their record to 5-3 and if the season were to end today, the Bolts would own the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff bracket.

Two consecutive wins has the Chargers establishing themselves amongst the upper tier of the NFL through Week Nine and that’s been reflected in this week’s power rankings across the media landscape.

Let’s go ahead and dive in!

They are really doing a lot of good things. The defense is special and few have noticed. It’s time we do. - Pete Prisco

Most important game remaining: Week 12 vs. the Ravens

This game will be coach Jim Harbaugh’s first chance at revenge since losing to his brother, John, in Super Bowl XLVII with the 49ers. It will also be revenge for many of the Ravens’ castaways who are playing or coaching for Los Angeles. The Ravens are a Super Bowl contender, so the game will be a measuring stick for a Chargers team that has only one win over a team with a winning record, which came in Week 6 against the Broncos. - Kris Rhim

Jim Harbaugh is one of the best coaches in the NFL. He just happened to take nine seasons off to coach Michigan. The Chargers are improving, especially on defense, and only injuries will keep them from a wild-card spot. - Frank Schwab

The Chargers are still playing strong defense and have their running game rolling. The real dangerous element is how they’ve figured out to get the downfield passing game red-hot with Justin Herbert healthy and on point. - Vinnie Iyer

Earlier in the season, the Los Angeles Chargers were winning with defense and their ground game. That defense was once again stellar Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, but the Chargers are starting to move the ball through the air as well.

Justin Herbert had his third straight rock-solid performance against Cleveland. He finished with 282 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating over 125.

While addressing the media after the game, Herbert said that the Chargers are improving by the week offensively.

“Whenever everyone is on the same page, we’re able to do things like that and push the ball down field,” said Herbert. “We made a big step in the first half and took a good step forward as an offense.”

The Chargers probably aren’t going to catch the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. But the Bolts are a legitimate playoff contender. And if they continue to improve, no team should want to face them in the Wild Card Round. - B/R NFL Staff

Analyst’s Take

“Kudos to head coach Jim Harbaugh for turning a once-laughable Chargers defense into a powerhouse. I think we all expected Harbaugh to make strides in the defensive department, but last year’s lack of efficiency and effort made this sort of jump feel unlikely. The Chargers have allowed only 101 points through eight games.

“There’s still room for improvement offensively, but things operate so much differently when wideouts Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey are healthy. The team we saw on Sunday isn’t just capable of making the playoffs. It’s capable of making the AFC’s top contenders nervous.” - Kristopher Knox

Jim Harbaugh turns around bad teams better than anyone. - Mike Florio

The Chargers’ first-year defensive coordinator has spent most of his career coaching college football, but he’s adjusting to calling plays in the NFL very nicely. Los Angeles leads the league in scoring defense (12.6 ppg allowed), defensive success rate (63.4 percent) and defensive EPA (17.1 per 100 snaps), according to TruMedia. The Chargers held the Browns to 3.8 yards per play Sunday. - Josh Kendall

The story is that Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has no weapons on offense. However, Herbert keeps dealing and keeps winning. These Chargers may not be as bad off as people think. - Conor Orr

As well as they’re generally playing – albeit against a fairly soft schedule – it’s probably premature for this ascending program to delve into the trade market. But at least the NFL thinks enough of the Bolts to trade them into Week 11’s Sunday night slot. - Nate Davis