The Bolts are firmly in the AFC playoff race past the midway point of the regular season.
Their dominant victory over the Titans in Week 10 pushed them to 6-3 on the year — and they continue to garner attention from National pundits with each passing week.
NFL.com's Jeffri Chadiha examined the playoff race in his weekly “The First Read” column and ranked nine potential Wild Card teams in each conference who could shape second half of the season.
No. 1 in his list? None other than the Bolts, who continue to take shape in Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh’s vision 10 weeks in and figure to be a factor down the stretch.
The NFL.com columnist believes the Bolts are likely to keep the Wild Card race the most interesting.
Chadiha wrote:
The Bolts found their most important star when they hired head coach Jim Harbaugh back in January. He's won at every place he's worked, and he has the Chargers sitting at 6-3 after Sunday's easy win over the Titans. Harbaugh has never been a coach who's relied solely on big names. He's about buy-in, and that's what the Chargers have been doing since this season began.
You knew Harbaugh was going to preach ball security. Guess what? Quarterback Justin Herbert hasn't thrown an interception since Week 2. You knew this team was going to run the ball and play defense. Well, the Chargers came into this weekend allowing the fewest points allowed. There are still plenty of tough tests coming for Los Angeles -- it'll see the Bengals, Ravens, Falcons and Chiefs over the next month -- but it has proven a lot already. It was reasonable to expect Harbaugh to turn this team into a playoff contender by Year 2. With a 10-win season very much within reach right now, this bunch is way ahead of schedule.
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
Take a look back at the Chargers Week 10 matchup with the Titans in monochrome!
The Chargers currently occupy the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff picture and have a firm hold on a Wild Card spot heading into Week 11.
And they've done it on the back of a current three-game winning streak they've put together since going 3-3 to start the season.
CBS Sports' John Breech continues to be impressed not just with the winning, but with the manner they've done it, giving the Bolts an ‘A grade’ for a second consecutive week.
Breech wrote:
The Chargers might not be wowing anyone with their wins, but for the third week in a row, they were absolutely dominant. The dominance started on the defensive side of the ball with a pass rush that totaled seven sacks on Will Levis. The Titans QB will be having nightmares about Bud Dupree and Tuli Tuipulotu, who both finished with two sacks. On the offensive side of the ball, Justin Herbert didn't put up eye-popping numbers, but he put a dagger in this game by playing a perfect second half, going 5 of 5 for 74 yards and a TD. The Chargers even outplayed the Titans on special teams. This was an all-around beatdown and it would have been an even bigger win if not for a garbage-time TD by Tennessee.
The surge in the Bolts has been thanks in large part to quarterback Justin Herbert, who continues to show why he's one of the league's best players.
Herbert's numbers weren't gaudy in Sunday's win, 14 of 18 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown, but he consistently made dazzling plays with his legs that have ignited the Chargers offense.
The Bolts quarterback's performance also landed him on Pro Football Focus' Team of the Week and Player of the Game honors.
The arrow keeps pointing up with both Herbert and the Chargers.
PFF's Ben Cooper wrote:
Justin Herbert is on an incredible streak of elite performances… The Chargers' star quarterback is on track to earn a third 85.0-plus PFF game grade in his past four outings. He has made as many big-time throws in the past three weeks (eight) as in his first six contests of the season.
