Five things to know about the Kansas City Chiefs’ next opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
On Thursday night, the Kansas City Chiefs will look to continue one of the more unusual winning streaks in the NFL.
The Chiefs have won their last seven games against the Chargers in California. Those contests have been played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, the StubHub Center in Carson and Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego..
You have to go back to Dec. 29, 2013 to find the last time the Chargers won a home game against the Chiefs.
On that day, the Chiefs had the AFC West title wrapped up, so they rested their starters and Chase Daniel got the start at quarterback. The Chargers trailed by 10 after three quarters but won 27-24 in overtime.
Each week, I take an early look at the Chiefs’ next opponent, and here are five things to know about the Chargers before Thursday’s game at SoFi Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:20 p.m., and the game will air on WDAF (Ch. 4).
1. Nuts and bolts
The Chargers (8-5) had a 23-point lead through three quarters and defeated the Giants 37-21 at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
The Chiefs lead the all-time series 64-58-1, but the Chargers have won the last two meetings, both at Arrowhead Stadium this year. LA won 30-24 in September and 38-21 on Jan. 3, when the Chiefs rested their starters in last season’s finale.
The Chargers are averaging 27.0 points per game, which is eighth in the NFL while allowing 25.8 points per game, which ranks 26th.
LA is tied for ninth in the NFL in turnover margin (plus-3).
2. Injury updates
Chargers receiver Keenan Allen missed Sunday’s game after being placed on the COVID-19 reserve list. But coach Brandon Staley expects Allen to be ready to face the Chiefs, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Staley also said running back Austin Ekeler, who left Sunday’s game because of an ankle injury, could have returned if needed, the Orange County Register’s Gilbert Manzano reported. So Ekeler should be ready for Thursday.
As for safety Derwin James (hamstring), Staley is hopeful James will play Thursday, Manzano tweeted.
3. Pass interference help
The analytics site FiveThirtyEight.com looked at which offenses have benefited most from pass interference calls on an opposing defense.
Heading into the Week 14 games, the Chargers were eighth on the list (nine pass interference calls on their opponents). The Giants weren’t penalized for pass interference on Sunday. But the Chiefs were flagged for defensive pass interference when they played the Chargers in September.
The Chiefs were last on that list, having had only one defensive pass interference call by an opponent this season. But there was a second for the Chiefs on Sunday when the Raiders were flagged. That’s still tied for last on the FiveThirtyEight list.
4. Herbert’s big arm
It’s not as though the Chargers’ passing attack is predicated on getting penalties.
Quarterback Justin Herbert has completed 338 of 504 passes for 3,822 yards and 30 touchdowns. That includes this bomb Sunday against the Giants:
Next Gen Stats said the ball traveled 63.8 yards in the air on that touchdown. And it was Herbert’s 10th career completion that traveled 55 or more yards in the air. Since 2020, no quarterback has thrown more such passes.
5. Conversion rates
Only five teams have run more fourth-down plays than the Chargers, who have done it 21 times.
The Chargers have converted 13 fourth-down attempts (61.9%), which is eighth-best in the NFL.
Los Angeles has a 45.2% conversion rate on third downs, which is the fifth-best in the NFL this season.
This story was originally published December 13, 2021 at 11:56 AM.
