10 Insights: Breaking Down the Chargers' 2020 Schedule

May 08, 2020 at 11:00 AM

Chris Hayre

TEAM REPORTER

Below are 10 quick-hitting insights about the Chargers' 2020 regular season schedule:

1) It starts in Cincy: Los Angeles opens the season on the road for the first time since 2017 in what could be the NFL debut for Bengals quarterback – and No. 1 overall pick – Joe Burrow. The last time the Chargers faced a starting rookie quarterback in Week 1 was 1993, an 18-12 win against Rick Mirer and the Seattle Seahawks.

2) To open SoFi Stadium, the Chargers will host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 – the second time in three years they've opened against their AFC West rival in Los Angeles. SoFi Stadium will be the fourth different venue the Chargers and Chiefs have played against each other in since 2018 (Dignity Health Sports Park, Arrowhead Stadium and Estadio Azteca).

3) Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is the only first-year coach the Chargers will face in 2020. Last season, three opponents had rookie head coaches (Brian Flores, Miami Dolphins; Vic Fangio, Denver Broncos; and Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers)

4) In a rarity, the Chargers will face two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks – both over 40 – in back-to-back road games: Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4, followed by Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football in Week 5.

5) The Chargers face four 2019 playoff teams in 2020: Kansas City (twice), New Orleans, the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots.

6) Los Angeles is not on the road for more than two weeks at a time in 2020. Last season, the Chargers played outside of Los Angeles for four straight games from November 7 to December 8. In 2018, they played four straight games away from L.A. from October 14 to November 11.

7) Los Angeles doesn't leave the Pacific time zone for the entire month of December. The Chargers have three home games (New England, the Atlanta Falcons and Denver) and a Thursday night game against the Las Vegas Raiders before closing the 2020 regular season against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on January 3.

8) The Chargers have two scheduled primetime games (at New Orleans, at Las Vegas), extending their streak of at least one primetime regular season game since 2005.

9) Finishing strong is paramount: The Chargers close the season with three straight divisional games. Five of their final eight games come against the AFC West.

10) The Chargers will see several familiar faces as opponents for the first time in 2020, including: offensive tackle Russell Okung and offensive guard Michael Schofield (Carolina), running back Melvin Gordon (Denver), and safety Adrian Phillips (New England).