Los Angeles Chargers: Bolts’ 2017 Regular Season MVP

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 24: Melvin Gordon #28 of the Los Angeles Chargers is congratulated by his teammate Antonio Gates #85 after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets during the second half of an NFL game at MetLife Stadium on December 24, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - DECEMBER 24: Melvin Gordon #28 of the Los Angeles Chargers is congratulated by his teammate Antonio Gates #85 after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets during the second half of an NFL game at MetLife Stadium on December 24, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Chargers had an incredible second-half of the 2017 season, finishing at 9-7. That said, take a look at who should be their team MVP.

What an incredible second-half of the season it was for the Los Angeles Chargers, who regained their composure after starting the year with four-straight losses. After winning nine of their last twelve games of 2017, the Bolts barely missed the AFC Playoffs with their oddly impressive 9-7 record. Heck, with a little bit of luck, they would be facing Jacksonville this weekend.

At the end of the day, even though the Chargers didn’t make the postseason, fans should be pleased with how their squad fought back. It’s hard enough to win one game in the NFL, much less nine of their last twelve.

Who knows, maybe that’ll be enough momentum to get the Bolts ready-to-go for the 2018 season?

With that said, we’re in a time of reviewing and analyzing every aspect of the Chargers 2017 season, which means naming the team’s MVP. There were many players who were considered for this award, but one guy stood out among the rest: wide receiver Keenan Allen.

We knew that Allen’s presence would give Los Angeles a legitimate starter on the outside, but little did we know he would finish among the best WRs in the game this year. Take a look at some of Allen’s numbers in 2017, and where he finished beside other qualified receivers, courtesy of ESPN:

  • 1,393 Receiving yards (3rd in NFL; behind Antonio Brown and Julio Jones)
  • 102 Receptions (4th in NFL; behind Jarvis Landry, Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Thomas)
  • 87.1 Receiving yards-per-game (4th in NFL; behind Antonio Brown, DeAndre Hopkins and Julio Jones)
  • 74 Receptions resulting in 1st downs (1st in NFL)

By far, 2017 ended up being Allen’s best year as a professional football player. Not only did quarterback, Philip Rivers, rely on him throughout the season, but the Chargers, as a whole, needed him to come through each and every weekend.

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I guess Allen’s seven games of, at least, 100 receiving yards or more is exactly what Los Angeles needed to get back into the AFC Playoff race this year. Due to Allen’s incredible, career-year for the Bolts, I believe he deserves to be the Bolts’ 2017 regular season MVP.