2023 Los Angeles Chargers schedule analysis

On Thursday, the NFL released the Los Angeles Chargers' complete 2023 schedule. Per NFL Research, Chargers opponents had a 149-139-0 record in 2022, making their schedule tied for the 12th-most difficult in the NFL.  

Circle The Date: Week 7 vs. The Kansas City Chiefs 

The biggest game for the Chargers will come in Week 7 when they face the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City has raised the bar in the AFC West, winning seven straight division titles. Even though the Chargers have a talented roster one which includes stars such as QB Justin Herbert and DE Joey Bosa, they have a 3-7 record in their last 10 games against Kansas City. If they're going to become a legit Super Bowl contender, they must clear this hurdle, starting with an early road win helps.  

Toughest Stretch: Weeks 6-12 

The Chargers might have to run the gauntlet through multiple playoff teams from Weeks 6-12. Los Angeles will face three teams that made the playoff last season -- the Dallas Cowboys (Week 6), Kansas City Chiefs (Week 7) and Baltimore Ravens (Week 12).

Some teams in this stretch that didn't make the playoffs in 2022 are potentially on the rise, too. In Week 10, Los Angeles will face a Detroit Lions team that's coming off its first winning season since 2017. In Week 9, they travel to New York to face Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, another team who could sneak into the playoffs. 

Los Angeles must stay sharp during this time frame because the team could slide out of the playoff hunt if it falters here.

Easiest Stretch: Weeks 13-15 

This part of the schedule marks a point where the Chargers could start a late-season winning streak. They have three games against beatable teams -- the New England Patriots (Week 13), Denver Broncos (Week 14) and Las Vegas Raiders (Week 15). Each of those outfits missed the playoffs last season.

The Chargers have the edge at QB in each matchup, too. Herbert was second in the NFL in passing yards (4,739) last season, while Denver's Russell Wilson was 13th and New England's Mac Jones was 18th. Raiders QB Jimmy Garoppolo may also face a learning curve during his first season in Sin City. 

Win one for OC Kellen Moore: Week 6 vs. the Dallas Cowboys

Moore was Cowboys OC from 2019-22. Even though his offenses finished top-six in scoring three times in that span, Dallas let him go after consecutive playoff losses against the 49ers.

Moore may want to get a victory against his old team on Monday Night Football to prove that he deserved to stay in Dallas and remains among the league's offensive masterminds. It would also benefit his relationship with Herbert, because it would be their first hallmark victory together.