Chiefs vs. Chargers players to watch: These teams know how to the get to the QB
Pass-rushing talent will be on display when the Chiefs take on the Chargers on Monday Night Football.
Chargers defensive ends Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa are among the best in the game. And the Chiefs’ Chris Jones has three sacks in his last two games after compiling 15 1/2 last season.
Here are this week’s players to watch.
Chargers running back Austin Ekeler
What a find for the Chargers. Ekeler signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and has been productive over his three seasons. Through 10 games, he has 57 receptions and six touchdowns. Running backs as receivers have hurt the Chiefs this season, none more than the Packers’ Aaron Jones, who went for 159 receiving yards a few weeks ago at Arrowhead Stadium.
Chargers defensive end Melvin Ingram
Ingram knows how to get to the quarterback. In his 100-game NFL career, he has 46 1/2 sacks, including 7 1/2 against the Chiefs. He missed three games earlier this year with a hamstring injury; in the three games since his return, he’s got three sacks, four quarterback hits and 12 tackles.
Chiefs tackle Mitchell Schwartz
His streak of 7,894 consecutive snaps was broken in last weekend’s loss to the Tennessee Titans, but Schwartz finished the game and he’ll be tasked with keeping Patrick Mahomes protected Monday against the Chargers’ rush end tandem of Ingram and Joey Bosa. The good news for the Chiefs is that their offensive line is appearing to get healthy. Guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif has missed the previous two games and left tackle Eric Fisher has appeared in only two overall this season. They’ve both practiced in the last several days.
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones
Jones will likely will line up both outside and inside Monday. Injuries to ends Emmanuel Ogbah and Alex Okafor leave the Chiefs short-handed on the outside. Their only healthy options could be Frank Clark and Tanoh Kpassagnon. Wherever Jones plays, he could come up big. He had 2 1/2 sacks of Philip Rivers the last time these teams played. Also, Jones will have be part of the plan to stop running backs Ekeler and Melvin Gordon.
This story was originally published November 16, 2019 at 1:48 PM.