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USATSI

Did your team not make the NFL playoffs this year? Are you not fully ready to dive into your respective team's offseason, and would rather just look the other way while your team cleans house and conducts depressing press conferences about how they failed in 2022? Are you looking for a bandwagon to hop on for the postseason this year? Well, you're in luck.

Below, we will break down three reasons why you should root for Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers. Yes, those Chargers, with an unpredictable head coach who can make decisions that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The team with the running back who led the NFL in touchdowns from scrimmage, and a defense that plays aggressively, but not always well. Here's why you should tell your friends you're a Chargers fan until a loss or Lombardi Trophy. 

1. The ascension of Justin Herbert

The 24-year-old Justin Herbert will become the youngest quarterback to start a playoff game in Chargers franchise history when he takes the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend. He's widely accepted as a star quarterback, but not an elite one. That could change over the next month.

Herbert has the most passing yards (14,089) through three seasons in NFL history. He's second behind only Dan Marino in passing touchdowns (94) through three seasons all time, and is the second quarterback in NFL history to throw 25 passing touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. Herbert has the talent necessary to make the jump Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals did last year when he went on that great run, which solidified him as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. A Super Bowl run would change how Herbert is viewed around the NFL world. 

2. They are the overlooked

When discussing the elite fanbases around the NFL, the Chargers are not in the discussion. That's not me taking a shot at anyone. The franchise/fan base took a hit leaving the city of San Diego, and opting for the City of Angels, where they would share a stadium with the Los Angeles Rams. It's about time this team has more fans, and you can get in on the ground floor. 

Apart from not having a fan base, are the Chargers not one of the most overlooked teams on the AFC side of things in the playoffs? They are but a blip on the radar! It's all about the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bengals and the Buffalo Bills. Those are the juggernauts, but the Chargers are the top wild-card seed. Plus, they have their quarterback healthy unlike the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens.

The Chargers have made the Super Bowl just one time -- back in the 1994 season. Let's get them back.

3. The 'Chief' contrarians

If you're a Chiefs fan, you can skip this section. Actually if you're a Chiefs fan, why are you even reading this? It's widely accepted that the Chiefs are one of the best teams in the NFL. Ever since Patrick Mahomes was inserted into the starting lineup, they've been perennial contenders. NFL Twitter is just Mahomes highlights now. I think it's fair to ask if there's a level of Chiefs fatigue at this point.

If you're rooting for someone new, don't just opt for Josh Allen and the Bills -- who were the Super Bowl favorites for the majority of the season. Root for the Chiefs' division rival in the Chargers. If the Chargers beat the Jaguars, they will face off against Kansas City in Arrowhead. Can you imagine if the Chargers upset the current Super Bowl favorites on their turf? It almost happened in Week 2, when the Chargers jumped out to a 10-0 lead before ultimately falling, 27-24. If you remember, Herbert was injured in the fourth quarter with his ribs issue, but returned to the game after a single play and led what was an epic touchdown drive on the Chargers' next possession to cover the spread. 

Many believed the AFC West was up for grabs after the flurry of moves made in the division this offseason. People think that narrative was killed after the regular season, but what if the Chargers pulled off the upset in the divisional round? Chaos. It's what we root for.