Prime-time battle for AFC West supremacy: How the KC Chiefs can beat the L.A. Chargers
The Chiefs are on the march toward another AFC West title. Standing in the way are the Los Angeles Chargers (8-5), a team that defeated the Chiefs in this season’s third week.
The Chiefs (9-4) are 64-58-1 all-time against the Chargers (8-5), having won 12 of the last 15 matchups. Recent games between them have been competitive, though, including that 30-24 L.A. victory in Week 3.
Both teams will be plenty motivated in this one.
With a win, the Chargers can pull even with the Chiefs at 9-5, all but cementing a potential heads-up tiebreaker advantage. The Chiefs, meanwhile, certainly wouldn’t mind building a two-game lead over the Chargers. Win, and KC would be in virtual control of the division race.
Buckle in for a heavyweight prime-time showdown.
“I think both teams are playing well and that should lead to a heck of a football game,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said.
Here are four key areas to monitor for the Chiefs as they seek to extend their overall win streak to seven games.
CONTAIN POTENT HERBERT
After seeing him three times over the past two seasons, the Chiefs are well aware of the problems posed by second-year quarterback Justin Herbert.
“Every time I turn the tape on, I’m amazed by how good he is,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “Accurate, he’s big, he’s athletic, really smart. He’s the whole package.”
In three career starts against Kansas City, Herbert has thrown for 894 yards (298 per game) and tallied 10 touchdowns (eight passing, two rushing). Add in his one interception during that span, and he’s got a 117.9 passer rating against the Chiefs. He threw the game-winning touchdown to receiver Mike Williams with less than one minute remaining against them early in the season.
An emerging star, Herbert has thrown 30 touchdown passes already this year, making him the first quarterback in league history with at least 30 in each of his first two seasons.
He’ll be facing a defense on a hot streak Thursday. The Chiefs have held three straight opponents under 10 points. But make no mistake: The Chiefs will have their hands full against Herbert and L.A.’s assortment of offensive weapons.
EXPLOIT HERBERT’S BLINDSIDE
On the flip side of Herbert’s clear skills is his offensive line, which could have a major problem on its hands.
Standout rookie left tackle Rashawn Slater went on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list Monday after a positive test, making his status for Thursday uncertain. If Slater can’t play, the Chargers will pair a backup left tackle against Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark, who has 1.5 sacks and eight QB hits over the past three games.
But the Chargers aren’t alone in dealing with COVID-19 issues. Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. is on the COVID list as of Wednesday and has been ruled out. The Chiefs could also be without two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Chris Jones and receiver Josh Gordon due to COVID reasons.
Even if Jones doesn’t play, Clark, Melvin Ingram and other members of the Chiefs’ D-line should still be able to apply adequate pressure on Herbert. And making him uncomfortable in the pocket is paramount.
LIMIT TURNOVERS
Want to know why the Chiefs lost in Week 3 against the Chargers? Look no further than their self-inflicted wounds. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes accounted for two interceptions, while wide receiver Tyreek Hill and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire each lost a fumble.
The Chiefs have done a better job of taking care of the football lately and need to keep it up Thursday.
“I’m sure they’ll try to do some of the stuff they did the first game against us, but they’ll have a change-up for us that we’ll have to adjust to in-game,” Mahomes said.
The Chargers have 18 takeaways this season, ranking ninth in the NFL with a plus-3 in turnover margin.
UNLEASH THE GROUND GAME
The Chiefs would be wise to unleash Edwards-Helaire and Darrel Williams again Thursday night.
They combined for 132 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries against the Raiders Sunday, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt. Edwards-Helaire accounted for two of those TDs.
The Chargers rank a dismal 31st against the run, allowing 140.7 yards per game. That figure is a little deceiving, because they’ve been better of late ... but they’re still not great. In their last four games, they’ve allowed an average of 108.3.
The Chiefs should pound the Chargers’ defense early with called running plays, and then stick with it if Edwards-Helaire and Williams find success.
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
