Elite teams excel in one area. Examining playoff contenders reveals a pattern the Chargers must now follow.
Looking at the four teams left in the NFL Playoffs, you can see a pattern emerge pretty quickly.
Your team doesn't have to be great at everything, but they should be elite at least one thing. That, it seems, is more important than balance.
Take Jarrett Stidham's Denver Broncos, for instance. They finished the season as the 2nd best defense in the NFL and finished 14-3 despite what has been, statistically, an average offense. Their defense was so dominant that they didn't need much from the offense besides avoiding mistakes, which is one reason why everyone believes they stand a chance of beating the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game and heading to San Francisco for the Super Bowl.
The Los Angeles Rams are on the opposite side of the spectrum, finishing as the NFL's top offense in both points and yards. Their defense was good enough for them to survive, finishing 10th in points allowed and 17th in yards allowed. Matt Stafford is likely going to end up as the NFL's MVP this season and the Rams have a real chance to win this year's Super Bowl if he plays well in his next two games, the defense should be good enough.
The New England Patriots aren't bad on offense or defense. Quite the opposite, actually. What they are elite at is something that feels Belichick-ian, they don't beat themselves and they don't make mistakes. They're also incredibly efficient, finishing 1st in the NFL by EPA this season on offense. They don't make big plays but they also don't give up big plays, the Patriots and Drake Maye just grind opponents to dust.
The Seattle Seahawks may be an outlier here, they profile as a team that is elite on both sides of the ball. I could argue that what they are elite at is depth on the roster and creating the right role for each player. It has led to a team that is much more than the sum of its parts, and one that doesn't need Sam Darnold to do much beyond not making mistakes.
So, what are the Los Angeles Chargers elite at? Right now, with the pass rushers they're potentially losing to free agency this offseason, I'm not sure. What would they like to be elite at? Hopefully, they have an answer that is a little bit more targeted than "everything", because that feels like the way to stand out in today's NFL.