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5 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 2 battle with Chiefs

Here are five things to know about the Chargers’ Week 2 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs from SoFi Stadium.

The Chargers will be playing their first game at SoFi Stadium against the Chiefs on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 1:25 p.m. PT.

Los Angeles and Kansas City both look to stay undefeated.

Here are five things to know about the Week 2 battle:

Offense still dynamic as ever

The Chargers’ defense did a fine job in Week 1, stifling the Bengals’ offense. However, Los Angeles is in for a tougher task as they’re set to face the Chiefs’ offense, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In Week 1, Kansas City totaled 34 points against the Texans. Rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown while Mahomes completed 75 percent of his passes and threw for three scores, one each to his top targets, tight end Travis Kelce and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins.

Chargers have held their own

While the Chiefs boast one of the top offenses in the NFL, the Chargers managed to make it difficult for them last season. Los Angeles held Mahomes to under 200 passing yards, plus a combined two touchdowns and two interceptions. L.A. still lost both games due to losing the turnover battle. The Chargers, who only allowed 13 points last weekend, will look to build off of last season. They look to do so without key defenders, safety Derwin James and linebacker Drue Tranquill.

Life without Pouncey

The Chargers lost another starter after center Mike Pouncey was placed on the injured reserve Thursday. Despite the loss, Los Angeles will send out Dan Feeney to replace Pouncey while starting Forrest Lamp at left guard, both of whom played well in the season opener. Feeney and Lamp will have their hands full against defensive tackle Chris Jones. Jones was a dominant force in Week 1, posting 1.5 sacks and six total pressures.

Key contributor along offensive line

The Chargers’ interior part of the defensive line was stout against Cincinnati. They will have to keep it up facing a familiar face. Kelechi Osemele was signed by the Chiefs this offseason after spending a few seasons with the Raiders (2016-18). Osemele anchored an offensive line that dominated Houston’s defensive line in the run game. According to Pro Football Focus, the Chiefs rushed behind Osemele five times, gaining 60 yards — including three rushes of 10 yards or more and the only rushing touchdown of the game. Defensive tackles Linval Joseph, Jerry Tillery, Justin Jones and Damion Square will have to be on their A-game.

Hot streak

The reigning Super Bowl champions have won their last 10 games, including the postseason. In the last 10 matchups between the Chargers and Chiefs, Kansas City is 9-1.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes talks challenge of facing Chargers defense

The Chargers have held their own against the Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the past two meetings.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has dominated defenses across the NFL, but the one team that he has struggled to find a groove against in recent play is the Chargers.

In both matchups last season, Los Angeles held Mahomes under 200 passing yards, plus a combined two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Now, Mahomes is preparing to face a physical and heady Chargers defense that has faces that he’s seen before, but also a few that he has yet to see in the blue and gold, including Linval Joseph, Kenneth Murray and Chris Harris Jr.

“Yeah, they do a great job in their scheme and they have a lot of great players that make plays. They played us really well last year, that defense, holding us to some low numbers, stuff that we had been trending on getting better numbers, better scores, and all of that different type of stuff,” Mahomes said.

For Los Angeles, it all starts up front with the stout defensive line that was a force to be reckoned with in the season opener against the Bengals.

“I think when you see those pass rushers first off, they have a lot of pass rushers all across that D-Line. They added (Linval) Joseph and the young (Jerry) Tillery, that kid is really playing well.”

Last Sunday, the guys up front delivered in a big way, amassing 22 pressures, four quarterback hits, 15 hurries and three sacks. In order to minimize Mahomes’ time with the ball in his hands, they must carry that momentum into this weekend.

As for the rest of the back seven, Mahomes recognized the playmakers that the units have, even without safety Derwin James and linebacker Drue Tranquill.

“Then you get to the linebackers and there’s a lot of young talent there. With the DBs, a couple of Pro Bowlers and All-Pro guys. They have a really good defense and a really good scheme. We have to do our best job of being within ourselves and finding a way to put points on the board.”

The Chargers defense must keep the Chiefs offense off the scoreboard and the field as much as possible while managing to create turnovers if they want to pull off the upset.

Chargers place C Mike Pouncey on injured reserve

The same hip injury from his playing days with the Dolphins appears to still be bothering center Mike Pouncey.

Chargers center Mike Pouncey (hip) has been placed on the injured reserve, ending his 2020 season. In a corresponding move, the team promoted fullback Gabe Nabers to the active roster.

Pouncey dealt with the hip injury prior to the regular season opener, forcing him to miss Week 1. But it appears the injury wasn’t making any progress.

Pouncey was limited to five games with the Dolphins in 2016 because of the same issue.

Pouncey, 31, missed the majority of the 2019 season after undergoing neck surgery following Week 5 and was playing on a one-year, $9 million contract prior the the injury.

To fill the void, Dan Feeney will start at center while Forrest Lamp starts at left guard.

Chargers emphasize winning turnover battle against Chiefs

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn’s priority is winning the turnover battle against the Chiefs in Week 2.

Facing the reigning Super Bowl Champions, it won’t be an easy task for the Chargers, who enter the week as huge underdogs.

One of the ways that Los Angeles can get the job done is by winning the turnover battle, which means eliminating interceptions or fumbles on offense and taking the football away on the defensive side of the ball.

By doing so, the Bolts can control field position and make it tougher Kansas City to string together drives. Given how lethal the Chiefs’ offense is, not allowing to get the ball in quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ hands is vital.

Coach Anthony Lynn said that in the last few matchups against Kansas City the turnover battle has been 17-2, calling it “ridiculous,” and adding that they need to do a better job of taking care of the ball and score touchdowns.

How important is it? In 2019, the Chargers won the turnover battle in only two games. They won both of those contests.

Last Sunday against the Bengals, Los Angeles outperformed in this area, winning the turnover battle, 2-0.

Winning the turnover battle is one thing, but L.A. must also do a better job, specifically on the offensive side at converting on third-down and red zone situations if they wish to pull off the upset.

They finished 6-for-16 on third down, and managed to only turn one red zone trip out of three into a touchdown.

Chargers CB Casey Hayward named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward was dominant in the season opener.

Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the 16-13 win over the Bengals.

Hayward led the team in tackles (12) while adding two passes defensed, and was covering wide receiver A.J. Green in the end zone late in the fourth-quarter when it was wiped out due to an offensive pass interference.

This marks the first time that Hayward has earned this honor during his nine years in the league.

Hayward will have a more difficult task this upcoming Sunday as he is set to go up against an elite Chiefs offense, which features receivers wideouts Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman and Sammy Watkins.

Report: Chargers to bring in pair of running backs for workout

The Los Angeles Chargers are looking to bring in a running back to potentially fill the void of injured Justin Jackson.

According to NFL Media’s Tom Pellisero, the Chargers are bringing in running backs Jordan Scarlett and Brian Herrien for a workout.

The move comes after RB Justin Jackson left the season opener against the Bengals with a quad injury.

Coach Anthony Lynn said that he was unsure how severe Jackson’s injury was, and that the team was going to take it day-by-day.

The Panthers selected Scarlett in the fifth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Scarlett appeared in nine games as a rookie, mainly contributing on special teams.

Herrien signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent this past April. In four years at Georgia, he averaged 5.1 yards per carry, with 277 carries for 1,413 yards and 13 touchdowns, adding 28 receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

Recapping Tyrod Taylor’s debut as Chargers’ starting quarterback

Chargers quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s first start didn’t leave the most ideal impression.

For the first time in 14 years there was another starter under center for the Chargers, as Tyrod Taylor was the one calling the shots this past Sunday against the Bengals.

Los Angeles pulled away with the victory in a low scoring affair, marking Taylor’s first win as the Bolts’ starting quarterback.

But despite starting the 2020 season win column, it doesn’t necessarily exemplify how Taylor played.

Expected to have more of a polarizing look due to the significant scheme changes, the Chargers offense with Taylor at quarterback wasn’t necessarily dynamic against the Cincinnati defense.

Behind Taylor, Los Angeles moved the ball for spurts but scored only one touchdown and struggled to sustain drives. They finished 6-of-16 on third-down conversions and failed twice on fourth down.

As a passer, Taylor completed 16-of-30 passes for 208 yards.

Taylor’s completions were almost all to wide-open receivers, with the majority of them coming within 15 yards. His longest competition was for 37 yards when he linked up with wide receiver Mike Williams near the right sideline.

Taylor had his woes throwing the football, as he overthrew or completely missed his targets when he had the opportunity to link up with them. Along with that, he would lock onto his first or preferred read, leading to forced throws and staring down receivers with a late trigger.

With his legs, Taylor was nearly nonexistent. He ran the ball six times for only seven carries. Coach Anthony Lynn credited the Bengals for being able to contain his quarterback.

His mobility, though, allowed him to evade pressure on a few occasions. That would have not been the case with Rivers, who was not known for being able to use his legs to his advantage.

Another positive from Taylor’s performance is that he took care of the football. The Chargers made the point that they wanted to win the turnover battle this season, which they did.

Taylor’s outing has some fans concerned moving forward, especially since he connected with star receiver Keenan Allen only four times for 38 yards.

However, Sunday was the first time any of these players played in this offense during a live football game. It will take a little bit for everything to all come together.

Taylor’s a completely different quarterback, stylistically, from Rivers and that’s something his skill players will have to adjust to.

Taylor may not put up performances like Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson or Deshaun Watson, but I believe we will see improvement with his play translating to more offensive success as the season progresses.

Where Chargers stand in NFL power rankings after Week 1

Find out where the Chargers stand in the national eye.

The Chargers came away with a nail-biting win in the first game of the 2020 regular season.

After pulling away with the victory, let’s see what the nation thinks of Los Angeles:

USA Today: 18 (Previous: 22)

“Did you notice all 12 of Casey Hayward’s tackles Sunday were of the solo variety? That’s a crazy stat for a guy who plays cornerback.”

Touchdown Wire: 13

“The Chargers faced down the most impressive college football quarterback ever in Joe Burrow, and came out of Paul Brown Stadium with a 16-13 win that was more of a narrow escape than a definitive statement. Had a truly weird conflagration of events not shut the Bengals down late in the game in true Bengals fashion, this could have been an overtime struggle or worse for Anthony Lynn’s team. The question for this team through the 2020 season will be whether Tyrod Taylor can give them enough to elevate their offense until first-round pick Justin Herbert is ready to take over – and that might take a while.”

NFL: 20 (Previous: 22)

“Hey, it wasn’t a masterpiece, but that’s also the kind of game the Chargers have lost approximately 400 times in the past. They were due for some luck, received in the form of a shanked Randy Bullock field-goal attempt in the final minute of a 16-13 win. Tyrod Taylor was unspectacular but steady (this is pretty much the Tyrod Taylor experience in totality) and the defense forced two big turnovers, a welcome change from last year, when Los Angeles was too often on the wrong side of the takeaway battle. Melvin Ingram’s fourth quarter interception on a Joe Burrow shovel pass was a thing of beauty. How many other 250-pound defensive ends can move like that and make that play?”

ESPN: 22 (Previous: 24)

“Kelley, a fourth-round pick out of UCLA, rushed for 60 yards on only 12 carries — one of which went for 26 yards — and scored the Chargers’ only touchdown. The performance was huge given Justin Jackson’s departure because of a quad injury. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn admitted that his team probably would not have won the game if not for Kelley, which is in no way a stretch. Look for him to factor more prominently into the game plan — healthy Jackson or not — moving forward.”

CBS Sports: 15 (Previous: 16)

“The offense didn’t do much against the Bengals, but they will have to be better against the Chiefs this week. The defense could be special this season.”

Sports Illustrated: 20

“Wait, wait, wait, you’re telling me the Chargers won a game on a blown field goal at the end of the game? The Chargers escaped Cincinnati with a win, and now we’ll see if they spent the whole summer cooking up anything special for Kansas City.”

Injury updates on Chargers’ Drue Tranquill, Justin Jackson, Trai Turner

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn spoke on the status of three players who had injuries.

The Chargers were without a pair of starters in the season opener against the Bengals, most notably guard Trai Turner.

Turner, who was ruled out of the game with a knee injury, had a chance to play Sunday but he was ultimately held out.

Coach Anthony Lynn said the team decided to play it safe with his knee injury, adding that he likes his chances better of playing this weekend against the Chiefs.

While Turner was out from the action, Tyree St. Louis got the start at right guard. St. Louis, at times, struggled. But he held his own for the most part, particularly in the run-blocking department.

Los Angeles, who already lost a key defensive player in Derwin James, saw another one go down early on in the contest.

Linebacker Drue Tranquill suffered a broken fibula, per coach Anthony Lynn. Lynn wouldn’t rule him out for the season, but Tranquill will be out for a while.

After Tranquill was carted off, Nick Vigil took his spot while Denzel Perryman rotated in.

Lynn said he’s looking at many linebacker combinations, but it sounds like rookie Kenneth Murray will stay at middle linebacker.

“We can move Kenneth because he’s so athletic, but do you want to move him to another position? That’s new learning,” Lynn said.

Another player that was ruled out late in the game was running back Justin Jackson, with a quad injury.

“We’re not sure how severe that is. We’ll try to work him in practice some time this week if he can. It will be a day-to-day deal,” Lynn said about Jackson.

No matter the health of Jackson, rookie Joshua Kelley proved that he is capable of manning the spot as the second running back with his performance on Sunday.

If Jackson is forced to miss some time, Los Angeles could bring up a player like Darius Bradwell off the practice squad for depth.

Chargers DT Jerry Tillery has strong start to sophomore season

Chargers defensive tackle Jerry Tillery showed that he is looking to have a breakout season.

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Chargers defensive tackle Jerry Tillery didn’t have the rookie season that many fans were anticipating after being selected in first-round pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, with some already labeling him as a bust.

Tillery wasn’t going to fall into that category, so he made the point to add strength and get faster in the offseason after having nearly of his rookie offseason cut short due to rehabilitation of his shoulder that he had surgery on.

The former Notre Dame product shined during training camp, displaying the physical changes. He then carried that onto the field in the season opener against the Bengals.

It wasn’t long into the game when Tillery acquired his first sack of the season, beating right guard Xavier Su’a-Filo with physical hands and quickness to get to rookie quarterback Joe Burrow.

Later in the half, Tillery almost had another sack, quickly getting into the backfield where he annihilated Burrow after he handed the ball off to running back Joe Mixon.

Nonetheless, his pressure allowed linebacker Kyzir White to bottle up Mixon for a negative gain.

Throughout the game, Tillery lined up both as a three-technique and defensive end. One thing that stood out was that he worked inside on first and second downs, which wasn’t something that he did last season.

Instead, he would be on the field exclusively on obvious passing situations.

Tillery’s stat line only shows two tackles, but that doesn’t exemplify how dominant he was. He was in the backfield early and often, and he was making plays away from the line of scrimmage.

If Tillery keeps it up, he could be a key defensive factor this season.

“I seen Jerry grow up right before my eyes, man,” defensive end Melvin Ingram said. “It was a great thing, because Jerry has been working so hard in camp. And to see him be rewarded for his hard work, it was dope. And I think the sky is the limit for him. He’s only going to get better.”