Omar Navarro
The Chargers have now won three straight after agritty road win in Kansas Cityover the Chiefs.
The Bolts are back on the road, this time against the Cowboys.Kickoff against Dallasfrom AT&T Stadium is at 10:00 a.m. (PT).
NFL analysts and publications have released their weekly power rankings. Take a look at where the Bolts are ranked as they enterWeek 16.
No. 9: Conor OrrSports Illustrated(Last Week: No. 12)
No. 10: Vinnie IyerSporting News(Last Week: No. 10)
The Chargers struck hard with no mercy against the Chiefs knowing they could be responsible for ousting the AFC champions and swing the door wide open.
No. 10:Ralph VacchianoFox Sports(Last Week: No. 11)
They knocked off both of last year's Super Bowl teams in back-to-back weeks.
No. 11: Chad Graff & Josh KendallThe Athletic(Last Week: No. 11)
MVP: Tui Tuipulotu
Maybe this should go to quarterback Justin Herbert, but Tuipulotu just keeps making plays. He had two more sacks and nine more pressures as the Chargers chased the Chiefs out of the playoff race Sunday. Tuipulotu is now tied for fifth in the NFL in sacks (12) and fourth in splash-play rate (15.7 percent). He has seven additional tackles for loss.
No. 11: Pete PriscoCBS Sports(Last Week: No. 11)
Two victories in six days sure change the outlook on this team, beating the Eagles and Chiefs in successive weeks. The defense has really come on.
No. 11: Mike FlorioPro Football Talk(Last Week: No. 11)
They've fully taken on the mindset of their head coach.
No. 11: Eric EdholmNFL.com(Last Week: No. 12)
The Chargers have won three straight games, and they've beaten last season's Super Bowl teams in back-to-back thrillers. You can thank the defense for both, coming up with critical late interceptions in the red zone to finish them off. On Sunday, it was Derwin James' INT of Gardner Minshew with 20 seconds left, after Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending torn ACL. The significance of this win can't be understated, officially ending the Chiefs' dynastic run at Arrowhead, and the way the defense is playing now makes the Chargers look like legitimate contenders.
No. 11: Dan WilkinstheScore(Last Week: No. 10)
A decimated offensive line has put the Chargers in a position where it can be tough to pull away from opponents. Dicker converting on 34 of 36 field goals, including five of six from 50-plus yards, is a big reason L.A. is 6-1 in one-score games.
No. 11: Nate DavisUSA Today(Last Week: No. 12)
No. 11: NFL Nation Kris RhimESPN(Last Week: No. 13)
No. 12: Frank SchwabYahoo Sports(Last Week: No. 10)
The headline was the Chiefs being eliminated from the playoffs and Patrick Mahomes' season-ending injury, but the Chargers deserve plenty of credit for that 16-13 win at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers are becoming a defensive force under coordinator Jesse Minter. They've allowed 46 points in three games since the bye. In a wide-open AFC, the combination of an elite head coach, superstar quarterback and top defense makes the Chargers dangerous.
No. 13: Brent SobleskiBleacher Report(Last Week: No. 12)
Right now, Los Angeles' success is built around a swarming defense. The unit hasn't allowed more than 20 points since before Halloween. As a result, the Chargers own the AFC's No. 5 seed if the playoffs began today.
