Chiefs’ keys vs. Chargers: Stop the run (again), acclimate quickly to high altitude
The Kansas City Chiefs meet a familiar foe Monday night — the Los Angeles Chargers — at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The Chiefs (6-4) hold a 61-56-1 edge in their all-time series against the Chargers (4-6) but have dominated the matchup in recent years.
Kansas City is 9-1 against the Chargers over the past 10 games. The Chiefs’ nine-game winning streak from 2014 to 2018 tied a franchise record for most consecutive wins over a single opponent since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
Both teams are coming off ugly, close defeats, with the Chiefs going down 35-32 to the Titans and the Chargers losing 26-24 to the Oakland Raiders.
Here are four key areas to monitor for the Chiefs, who hold just a half-game lead over the Raiders (5-4) in the AFC West after starting the season 4-0.
Broken-record time
From special teams blunders to the offense losing yet another fumble, which was returned for a defensive touchdown, Murphy’s Law ruled in the Chiefs’ Week 10 loss. Anything that could go wrong basically did, outside of quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the passing game.
But there was one area that especially plagued Chiefs’ defense: an inability to stop the run.
The Chiefs came into last week’s game feeling good about their chances against Titans running back Derrick Henry, and who could blame them after they limited Minnesota Vikings rusher Dalvin Cook in Week 9.
Henry proceeded to gash the Chiefs for 188 yards and two touchdowns, both in the second half. That’s not exactly a good table-setter for a Chargers offense featuring running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler.
Gordon provides the thunder while Ekeler has given defenses fits this season with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Ekeler enters Week 11 with 57 catches for 559 yards and six touchdowns.
If the Chiefs are going to be successful against the Chargers — readers can stop here if they’ve heard this a few times in 2019 — they must stop the run.
Maintaining gap responsibility against Gordon and knowing where Eckler lines up are priorities for all 11 defensive players.
Chiefs’ defense vs. Rivers
Conventional wisdom says the Chiefs’ defense does well against classic passers. Last week’s lapse, allowing Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill to scamper for 18 yards late in the fourth quarter, might be considered an aberration.
Rivers won’t hurt the Chiefs with his legs, but the battle-tested veteran can certainly do some damage with his arm. The Chargers enter Week 11 with the eighth-best passing offense in the league, averaging 270.1 yards per game.
Yes, Rivers is coming off a bad game against the Raiders: He threw three interceptions and was sacked five times. But he remains dangerous with the weapons in the passing game, most notably Ekeler, tight end Hunter Henry and wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
The Chiefs currently rank eighth against the pass, allowing 221.4 yards per game, so Rivers won’t have an easy time against the KC secondary. Rivers has also been sacked 21 times and faces a Chiefs defense that has totaled the fifth-most sacks (30) in the league.
Still, this sets up as a classic battle of strength versus strength.
Contain Bosa, Ingram
It seems like the Chiefs face a strong pass rush every week, and the menu this week features two of the NFL’s very best.
Bosa (8.5) and Ingram (4.5) have accounted for 13 of the Chargers’ 24 total sacks and should be active against the Chiefs’ banged-up offensive line. Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz (knee) was limited in practice in the week leading up to this game.
The Chiefs, however, could soon get some good news along the front five. Starting left tackle Eric Fisher (groin), who hasn’t played since Week 2, and starting right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who has missed two games with an ankle injury, put in full practices Thursday and Friday.
Getting both back in the lineup would be a plus against Bosa and Ingram.
Acclimating quickly
Chiefs coach Andy Reid will either look like a genius, if the Chiefs win, or be subject to criticism should his team look sluggish Monday night.
The Chiefs are playing in Mexico City, which sits 7,382 feet above sea level. While the Chargers chose to hold practices at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado (7,258 above sea level) to adjust to the altitude, the Chiefs elected to stay home.
Reid’s decision was grounded in his trust of pre-game research done by his team’s athletic training staff. He also doesn’t like breaking from routine.
If the Chiefs lose to a better-acclimated Chargers team, some second-guessing might be in order.
This story was originally published November 16, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
