The Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) are heading to Arrowhead Stadium for a Sunday night game against the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1) having won five of their last six games and are looking to even the season series against KC at one apiece.
This AFC West matchup holds significant playoff implications, with the Chiefs aiming to secure their ninth consecutive division title and the Chargers striving to solidify their playoff standing. Kansas City, coming off back-to-back Super Bowl wins, has already clinched a ticket to the playoffs and currently holds the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The two teams previously played in Week 4, when the Chiefs came out victorious with a 17-10 victory at Sofi Stadium. However, the Chargers were without key players Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater and Derwin James Jr.
Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has helped the Bolts lead the NFL in scoring defense with 15.7 points allowed per game and has helped LA win games solely with its solidity on that side of the ball. The Chargers are coming off a defensive-driven 17-13 win against the Atlanta Falcons. LA’s defense had four interceptions, with two coming from rookie cornerback Tarheeb Still. On top of his two picks, Still recorded three tackles and three pass breakups against the Falcons. His performance was impressive enough to earn him AFC Defensive Player of the Week. With the uncertainty of Asante Samuel Jr.’s return to the Chargers’ secondary given his mysterious injured reserve stint, Still has likely asserted himself as a primary building block for the defense. With fellow rookie Cam Hart also performing at the cornerback position, these young players might be two cornerstone players in the Chargers secondary for years to come.
On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Justin Herbert is completing 63.4% of his passes for 2,551 yards, 13 touchdowns and only one interception. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey leads all rookies with his 815 receiving yards, posting a career-high 117 yards last week against the Falcons. His 105 receiving yards in the first half against the Falcons set a Chargers record. He has certainly become Herbert’s go-to guy in the passing field.
The Chiefs offense has been good for 24 points per game this season with quarterback Patrick Mahomes’s 2,979 passing yards and 19 touchdown passes. Mahomes has thrown for more than 260 yards in five of his last six games. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is also coming off his best game so far this season, with four receptions for ninety yards against the Las Vegas Raiders. Tight end Travis Kelce has also rounded into form and has caught passes for sixty yards in five of his last six games. Isiah Pacheco’s return should also boost Kansas City’s run game.
Los Angeles has dealt with several injuries to both sides of the ball. Running back J.K. Dobbins suffered an MCL sprain in the Chargers’ Week 12 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and was placed on the injured reserve list. The earliest he is eligible to return is Los Angeles’ Week 17 game against the New England Patriots. The Bolts will have to rely on Gus Edwards for the time being. McConkey has also been battling issues with his shoulder and his availability on Sunday will be a game-time decision. The rookie receiver was seen grabbing at his shoulder and showing signs of pain a few times during the game against Atlanta. Defensive players such as Bud Dupree, Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman, have all been limited in practice this week due to knee and groin injuries.
Although there may be some missing spots in the run game and on defense, the Chiefs also lost cornerback Jaylen Watson earlier in the season and have struggled in the backfield. If McConkey’s shoulder is good to go, seeing him take on the Kansas City secondary will be a fun matchup.
This is a huge game for the Chargers, probably their biggest game so far this season, as an upset victory would not only tighten the division race but also enhance their wild-card standing in a competitive AFC playoff race. The Broncos (8-5) are sitting right behind the Chargers in the AFC West standings and are not slowing down. Kickoff is set for 5:20 p.m. on Sunday night.