The Chargers won the AFC West in each of quarterback Philip Rivers’ first four seasons as the starter. Now they’ve missed the playoffs in three straight seasons. Rivers says it’s time to change that.
In an interview on NFL Network, Rivers said that the primary focus in San Diego is on winning the AFC West, and the Chargers think that if they do that, they’re going to be in very good shape heading into January.
“I think all 32 teams know the ultimate goal is a championship, but I think for us, we’ve got to get back to winning that AFC West,” Rivers said. “It all starts in the division. We won it four, five, six years in a row, and we’ve been out of it now three years in a row.”
The Chargers were swept by the Broncos last year, and Rivers knows that can’t happen again this year.
“We haven’t won our division games,” Rivers said. “I think our focus is winning in the division. You go 3-3 in the division, you’re fighting an uphill battle. You go 5-1, 6-0 in the division . . . I think you win division games, and find a way to get back into January. It’s been rough watching from home there the last three years.”
Unless the Chargers can figure out a way to beat the Broncos, they’re probably going to be on the outside looking in at the playoffs at the end of this year, too.