Chargers’ Joey Bosa on facing the Chiefs: ‘It’s going to feel like a playoff game’
The winner of Thursday night’s Chiefs-Chargers game will be the AFC West leader and have 10 days to prepare for their next contest.
After Thursday, the team will have just three remaining regular-season games.
In other words, the winner of the “Thursday Night Football” game will be in the catbird’s seat.
Chargers star defensive end Joey Bosa said he views the game as a playoff contest.
“It’s a huge game for both of us. It definitely puts either of us in a great position to win the division,” Bosa told reporters earlier this week. “We’re playing well, both of us, right now. As everybody knows, it’s a big game and it’s going to feel like a playoff game on Thursday.”
Bosa was asked about slowing the Chiefs offense, and he said one key is keeping Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the pocket.
And Bosa referenced the Chargers’ 30-24 win over the Chiefs on Sept. 26 at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I think that we had a good plan going into the last time we played them, and we executed it pretty well,” Bosa told reporters. “I think we need to do the same. Obviously, the point of emphasis is (Mahomes) and keeping him inside of the pocket so that he can’t hurt you with his feet. Once he gets out and gets scrambling, that’s where he could really work his magic, find guys open and just fit it in there, like we’ve seen him do a million times.
“He’s special, even if he had a few rough games at the start of the season. The kind of player that he is, he’s one of the best in the world. Obviously, the emphasis is going to be on keeping him in the pocket and trying to limit the damage because he’s obviously going to make some plays happen.”
The Chiefs defense can make some plays happen, too, as Sunday’s 48-9 blowout against the Raiders showed. In that game, the Chiefs forced five turnovers.
That unit has allowed exactly nine points in three straight games, and Chargers coach Brandon Staley talked about the improvement earlier this week.
“I think, more than anything, it’s just getting comfortable within their coverage systems and what they like to play,” Staley told reporters. “Sometimes that takes some time to figure out exactly what that is. I think that they’ve really taken that discovery process and have gotten their guys into rhythm, where their guys are playing those coverages that they are comfortable with, and that they’re executing. I think that their front is playing really (well).
“They’re rushing the passer at a high level, putting pressure on the quarterback. Their linebacking crew, they have some young linebackers that I think are playing really well. Those guys are playing at a high level. They’re just playing team defense. The spike in their good play is just that they’re playing together in all three phases.”
