Here we are, nearing the end of a pretty awesome 2011-12 NFL season. Over the past month or so, we’ve watched playoff teams tear each other apart, and we, as Chargers faithful, are a little envious.

As you know, we were essentially one win away from having a chance to play in Super Bowl XLVI. Had we beaten any of the eight teams we lost to — no matter which — we would have been playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round, and we might’ve been the winning team.

Or would we have been?

Life is full of “what ifs.” What if you had gotten better grades in high school? What if you had just stuck with that girl for another two months? What if you had worn a condom, thereby saving yourself from ruining your social life and killing your life goals?

So many, you guys. And this one is no different: What if the Chargers did make the postseason in 2012?

My guess? They could’ve gone deep. The New York Giants — the team our boy Neil Tillman has been bashing because Eli Manning is a total bitch — had the hardest path to the Super Bowl they could’ve asked for (beating the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers). The New England Patriots? They had to play the Denver Broncos (a team they had slaughtered a few months before, and a team that still has a full-back developing into a quarterback) and the Baltimore Ravens (a team led by the seriously-is-this-guy-a-franchise-QB Joe Flacco and a stagnant offense). In fact, the Patriots were a chip-shot, 32-yard field goal away from staying home while Baltimore would’ve been the team celebrating.

Considering the Chargers’ path to the Super Bowl would’ve gone through Pittsburgh (an aging team with a banged-up Ben Roethsliberger), New England (a team that has played no defense all season, and one that saw Brady have a pretty terrible performance against a good Ravens’ defense) and Baltimore (see above). While that’s no cup-cake route, it certainly isn’t what the Giants had to face, and considering Philip Rivers was hitting his stride late in the season, while the defense had been pretty good all season long (in addition to our very good run game), there’s no doubt the Chargers could’ve been the team in Indianapolis.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ secondary couldn’t contain the worst franchise QB in the NFL, and though they game-planned for him differently, it isn’t as if they didn’t try to adjust either way. Rivers could’ve torched Dick LeBeau’s secondary even further if the pass protection was as good as the Broncos.

And the Patriots? Tom Brady just knows how to play against the Denver Broncos’ defense, one that is incredibly porous and was playing beyond its means for half of the season. The defense wouldn’t have had a hard time with Tim Tebow, considering the Patriots played pretty conventionally against him, leading me to believe that the Chargers would’ve gotten it done.

The Ravens would’ve been the Chargers’ toughest test, just as it was for New England. That said, the Ravens’ offense would’ve taken care of itself. Flacco had a good game against the Patriots, but prior to that, he struggled mightily against a Houston Texans team that, despite a good defense, seemed like a deer in the headlights. The defense would’ve been a wonder to overcome, but considering the Pats only needed 23 points to get by, it hurts to know that’s all it took.

Of course, I won’t keep sitting here at my keyboard, bitching and moaning about why we didn’t get in. Ultimately, it was our play that sent us home early in the first place.

At least our new head coach might bring in the culture change these San Diego Chargers need to get to the promise-land.

(Wait, he’s still here? Oh, fuck this.)