Tag: Chargers vs. Chiefs

Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing Week 11 with Chiefs Wire

Answers to a few burning questions about the Chiefs ahead of their matchup with the Chargers on Sunday night.

The Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs are about to duke it out in a divisional showdown under the lights on Sunday night.

Before the matchup, Chiefs Wire managing editor Charles Goldman spoke with us about Los Angeles’ opponent.

With Mike Williams coming back, what do you expect the game plan to be for a Chiefs team that likes to primarily play man coverage?

They’re still going to play man coverage. The Chargers are actually about to face a very different cornerback group than they did back in Week 2. The cornerback who struggled the most, Rashad Fenton, is playing in Atlanta now. First-round CB Trent McDuffie is back from injured reserve and is looking every bit like a shutdown cornerback. Then, opposite McDuffie, the Chiefs have been platooning Jaylen Watson (Week 2 pick-six) and fourth-round draft pick Joshua Williams. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if the Chiefs’ Williams got the first crack at matching up with Chargers WR Mike Williams. He’s 6-3 and 193 pounds and has the length to compete at the catch point.

How has Kansas City’s pass rush been? Should the Chargers be concerned about putting Jamaree Salyer on an island?

The pass rush is coming off of one of their best games of the season with five sacks and a ton of pressures in Week 10. It also came against a Jaguars team that was tied for the second-fewest sacks surrendered in the NFL – at least it was prior to last week’s matchup. If you’re leaving anyone on the interior offensive line on an island against Chris Jones or Khalen Saunders, you’re going to have a bad time. You can probably afford to leave guys on an island at tackle, but Carlos Dunlap and his veteran savvy are probably good for at least one “got you” moment per game. Frank Clark is also coming back from suspension this week. He seemed to hit his stride just as his suspension began, so we’ll see if he can pick up where he left off.

Every game between these two teams has been one possession since Brandon Staley was hired. What do the Chiefs need to do to prevent that from happening again?

Look around the league. The majority of NFL games are decided by a score or less. I don’t think the Chiefs care about winning by two possessions, they just want to win the game by any means necessary. They’ll take 50 ugly games in a row against Los Angeles so long as they end in a K.C. win.

What did the Chargers do successfully in the Week 2 matchup that should work again this time around?

Austin Ekeler seemed to have some success in the passing game back in Week 2 and nothing has really changed with the Chiefs’ linebacker group. I would say they should be able to find a fair deal of success throwing to Ekeler and any other running backs, especially if Nick Bolton is the primary defender in coverage.

What’s your prediction for the game?

Even if Mike Williams and Keenan Allen are back and 100% this week, I like the Chiefs’ chances in this game. The defense is hitting its stride at the right time. The offense proved a week ago that they can still score at will without their top receivers on the field. I’m also expecting a bounceback performance from their special teams unit after one of the worst performances in Dave Toub’s K.C. career. As for the Chargers, I’m worried they might be a bit desperate for a win. That could lead to some mistakes on the field and some questionable decision-making from Brandon Staley. Chiefs 33, Chargers 24.

Chargers’ causes for concern vs. Chiefs in Week 11

Highlighting some reasons why it might be difficult for the Chargers to beat the Chiefs.

The Chargers have a make-or-break divisional game next for their second straight Sunday Night Football appearance.

Realistically, they must win this week versus the Chiefs to keep their hopes of winning the division alive. It’s a tough ask against a Kansas City team that is 6-3 against Los Angeles since 2018.

Here are four reasons to be concerned about the Bolts’ ability to get it done.

Vulnerable to the explosives

This is a Chargers defense that cannot seem to get out of its way and a Chiefs offense that has thrived on the explosive play since Patrick Mahomes became the starter in Kansas City. The Chiefs are third in the league with 6.4 yards per play, which has propelled them to the top of the leaderboard in offensive DVOA. While the rushing attack is just 20th by DVOA, Los Angeles gave up 9.3 yards per carry to Clyde Edwards-Helaire when these teams met in Week 2. That was before Jerry Tillery was waived and Austin Johnson, Otito Ogbonnia, and Christian Covington were lost for the season with injuries. The pass defense looks competent except for a few plays a game where they lose track of a receiver, and quarterbacks like Mahomes rarely miss those chances.

Inconsistent playcalling

Joe Lombardi has been lambasted by Chargers fans this season, and I get why. I’ve tried to take the middle road because of the injuries plaguing this team on offense. Justin Herbert has been dealing with his rib cartilage fracture. RB2, WR1, WR2, WR3, WR4, TE1, TE2, and three starters on the offensive line have missed time. But Lombardi does deserve blame for one thing, and that’s Los Angeles’ inability to craft a cohesive game plan. Sometimes, the offense brings out some genuinely creative run concepts and schemes Austin Ekeler into advantageous situations despite the OL situation. Those games are also the ones in which the passing game feels stagnant, and Herbert has to do everything himself to even give the offense a chance. When Lombardi fixes those issues, as he did last week against the 49ers, the run game immediately evaporates. It’s almost as though what this team wants to do running the ball and what they want to do passing it are fundamentally incongruent. If that continues on Sunday, it’ll be hard for L.A. to overcome.

Gassed defense

The Chargers are 26th in the league in opponent time of possession; Los Angeles’ opponents have the ball, on average, for 51.63% of the game. That’s resulted in some obvious moments of exhaustion for the defense, perhaps no more evident than down the stretch last week when each of the three healthy defensive linemen were visibly gassed. There are a few reasons for this, of course: injuries have decimated this team’s depth, so starters have to play more snaps. Sebastian Joseph-Day set a career-high in snap count last week, for example. The Bolts give up 5.8 yards per play, 26th in the league, allowing offenses to sustain long drives. The offensive playcalling has resulted in many three-and-outs, forcing the defense back onto the field with short rest. If L.A. can’t find a way to get their defensive personnel a break on Sunday, they will be gasping for air, trying to keep up with the Chiefs.

Justin Herbert’s bodyguards

The last time these two teams played, Herbert still had All-Pro Rashawn Slater protecting his blindside. Still, all it took was a poorly timed Corey Linsley injury for the Chargers’ protection to fall apart, causing the rib injury Herbert has been dealing with ever since. Slater has since torn his biceps, leaving sixth-round rookie Jamaree Salyer as the next man up. Linsley is finally back healthy after missing time with knee tendinitis and a case of food poisoning so bad that he was in the hospital. But now, right tackle Trey Pipkins is injured, having sprained his MCL and then aggravating it against Atlanta. He practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday. Zion Johnson held his own against Chris Jones in Week 2 and made Chargers fans think he was on pace for a Slater-like rookie campaign, but he’s been up and down since then. This offense does not work in any fashion if Herbert doesn’t have time to let downfield routes develop. We saw that last week against San Francisco. If Pipkins is still not 100% and Johnson or Matt Feiler has a down game, it will be a long night.

Chargers’ Thursday injury report ahead of Week 11 matchup with Chiefs

For the second consecutive day, Mike Williams and Keenan Allen were limited participants.

The Chargers had their second practice ahead of the primetime showdown with the Chiefs on Sunday night.

For the second consecutive day, Mike Williams and Keenan Allen were limited participants. On Thursday, there was a new development on their return to the field.

Both players ran routes. That was not the case on Wednesday.

Along with Allen and Williams, Gerald Everett (groin), Trey Pipkins (knee) and Chris Rumph (knee) were listed as limited.

JK Scott did not practice for the second straight day due to an illness.

The Chargers will have one more practice on Friday.

NFL betting: Point spread, over/under for Chargers vs. Chiefs in Week 11

The Chargers are five-point underdogs heading into Week 11.

The Los Angeles Chargers (5-4) meet the Kansas City Chiefs (7-2) in Week 11 of the 2022 regular season.

Here are the betting odds for the matchup, per Tipico Sportsbook:

Spread Moneyline Total Points
Kansas City Chiefs -5 -230 O 52
-112
Los Angeles Chargers +5 +195 U 52
-108

The Chargers are coming off a close loss to the 49ers. Los Angeles kept it tight, but the short-handed offense failed to produce points in the second half. The final score was 22-16.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs are coming off a 27-17 victory over the Jaguars. Despite losing the turnover battle 3-0, Patrick Mahomes led the way with a whopping four passing touchdowns and the defense had five sacks.

The last time the Bolts and Chiefs met was in Week 2. Kansas City won, 27-24.

Sunday’s contest will begin at 5:20 p.m. PT and be broadcasted on NBC.

Chargers’ reasons for optimism vs. Chiefs

Highlighting the reasons why the Los Angeles Chargers should beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chargers face off with the Chiefs in primetime for the second time this season, this time on Sunday Night Football for the second week in a row.

Los Angeles is coming off a loss to the 49ers, while Kansas City is fresh off a 27-17 win against the Jaguars.

Here are four reasons to be optimistic that LA will split the season series.

Justin Herbert’s talent elevation

I wrote this week that Herbert’s improving health has done wonders for this offense, and I expect that to only continue on Sunday night. The San Francisco game was the most often Herbert’s receivers were finding open space down the field all season, partially because the 49ers were so keyed in on the short passing game that had been a staple of Joe Lombardi’s offense before the bye when Herbert’s ribs limited his ability to push the ball downfield. The result last week was a strong performance from the face of the franchise despite playing without his top two targets and several other key contributors.

Return of key targets

Speaking of Herbert’s top two targets, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams returned to practice on Wednesday, a good sign that at least one of them will be available on Sunday. Williams in particular, seemed to be in good spirits, smiling and laughing through a “maybe” when asked if he’ll play on Sunday. Allen said he “hope[s]” to play as well. The Chargers haven’t played a game with both players at full strength all season, primarily because Allen hasn’t been 100% since injuring his hamstring in Week 1. While he played in Week 7 against Seattle, he was on a pitch count. If both players return and LA gets right tackle Trey Pipkins back with the way Herbert’s trajectory has been, an explosive day from the offense against the 22nd-best pass defense by DVOA is not out of the question.

Run game tendencies

The Chargers are undeniably thin on the defensive line – Breiden Fehoko is likely in line to start next to Sebastian Joseph-Day and Morgan Fox after being signed from the practice squad last Wednesday. Joe Gaziano, freshly signed from the practice squad, and Tyeler Davison, who’s been on the team for less than a week, will likely be asked to play big roles. Luckily for them, though, the Chiefs don’t seem to want to run the ball much. Kansas City averages 23.7 rushing attempts per game so far in 2022, 25th in the league by volume. It’s not like it isn’t working for them, either: they’re middle of the road in per carry numbers. Against LA in Week 2, Clyde Edwards-Helaire averaged 9.3 yards per carry but only received eight opportunities. This offense (rightfully) runs through Patrick Mahomes, even if the matchup dictates that running the ball will be more effective. For the Chargers, who have defended the pass astronomically better than the run this season, that tendency plays into their hands. Sort of. It’s still Patrick Mahomes.

Turnover equality

The Chargers and Chiefs have thrown interceptions in two-thirds of their games this season: Herbert has six, and Mahomes has seven. What’s interesting about this is how both quarterbacks are throwing said interceptions. For the most part, Herbert throws picks when defenders recognize his near-robotic progression timeline and break on the ball as it’s delivered. In other words, it’s defenses turning his greatest strength into a weakness: Herbert moves through progressions like few quarterbacks his age do but sometimes comes off a read too early and forces a throw to a tertiary player because his internal clock screams that he needs to be throwing the ball somewhere. Similarly, defenses have turned Mahomes’ biggest strength into a weakness this season to force his interceptions. The Chiefs QB is at his best when extending plays and creating out of structure. Still, with his mind melded with Tyreek Hill no longer a factor, those same plays are increasingly turning into turnovers as they bounce off receivers’ hands or fly by unsuspecting targets’ heads. So, for both defenses, it’s a bit of a catch-22. You have to let the superstar QB on the other side get into their preferred situations and trust you can execute. In some ways, that puts them on level playing fields, and that’s a very rare thing to say when you’re on the team playing against Patrick Mahomes.

Chargers’ Keenan Allen, Mike Williams participate in individual drills during Wednesday’s practice

Chargers wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams could be making their returns soon.

Chargers wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams could be making their returns soon.

Allen and Williams participated in individual drills at practice Wednesday ahead of Los Angeles’ Week 11 matchup with the Chiefs on Sunday night.

When asked he is playing this weekend, Allen responded, “I hope.” Meanwhile, Williams said, “Maybe,” with a big smile and laugh.

Allen has been out since suffering a hamstring injury during the Bolts’ Week 1 victory over the Raiders.

Williams sustained a high ankle sprain in Week 7 against the Texans. The Chargers had their bye week the week after, and he has missed their last two games.

We will continue to monitor their statuses closely leading into the primetime showdown.

Week 11 matchup between Chargers, Chiefs flexed to Sunday night

The Chargers and Chiefs will face off under the lights in primetime for the second time this season.

The Chargers and Chiefs will face off under the lights in primetime for the second time this season.

The NFL announced that the Week 11 matchup between Los Angeles and Kansas City will now be flexed to NBC’s Sunday Night Football at 5:20 pm PT.

Initially, the two were slated to square off on Nov. 20 at 1:25 pm PT.

This move replaces Bengals vs. Steelers, as the two games will flip spots on the broadcast schedule for the week.

This marks the second consecutive week that the Bolts will get the primetime treatment, as they’re set to face the 49ers this Sunday night at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.

The last time the Chargers and Chiefs played each other was in Week 2 on Thursday night. Kansas City completed a thrilling comeback to win by the score of 27-24.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s injury revealed

Chargers QB Justin Herbert is day-to-day.

Good news for Chargers fans.

The diagnosis of quarterback Justin Herbert’s injury that he sustained in Thursday night’s loss to the Chiefs is fractured rib cartilage, per head coach Brandon Staley.

As a result, Herbert is day-to-day. Staley added that he could be back at practice next week, but the team will take the weekend and reassess on Monday to determine whether he can practice.

Herbert suffered the injury when he took a hit from defensive end Mike Danna to his midsection late in the fourth quarter, leaving him on the ground in some pain.

Herbert got up, walked off the field, and sat out for a single play while trainers assessed him. He came back in the game but was still in pain, as evidenced by passing on a chance to run for a first down while in obvious discomfort.

Despite grimacing in pain, Herbert still made a couple of big throws upon returning to the field to cut the final margin to three, including a 35-yard laser to DeAndre Carter on fourth down. He followed that up with a seven-yard pass to Joshua Palmer in the back of the end zone.

Herbert finished the game, completing 33 of 48 passes for 334 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.

7 takeaways from Chargers’ Week 2 loss to Chiefs

Looking at the biggest storylines from the Chargers’ Week 2 loss to the Chiefs.

The Chargers were outlasted by the Chiefs on Thursday night, 27-24.

A day after Los Angeles’ loss, here are my takeaways:

Chargers’ Brandon Staley gives update on Justin Herbert

Chargers QB Justin Herbert did not speak to the media following the game.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”7Z6Cq9rGrx-2241008-7498″]

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert went down hard in the fourth quarter against the Chiefs on a hit from defensive end Mike Danna to his midsection, leaving him on the ground in some pain.

Herbert got up, walked off the field, and sat out for a single play while trainers assessed him. He came back in the game but was still in pain, as evidenced by passing on a chance to run for a first down while in obvious discomfort.

Despite grimacing in pain, Herbert still made a couple of big throws upon returning to the field to cut the final margin to three, including a 35-yard laser to DeAndre Carter on fourth down. He followed that up with a seven-yard pass to Josh Palmer in the back of the end zone.

Following the game, head coach Brandon Staley said it was an abdominal issue, possibly ribs, adding that Herbert will be “OK.” Staley did not reveal the results of the x-rays, but he said that he is not concerned going forward.

Herbert will have three extra days to restore before taking on the Jaguars in Week 3. Nonetheless, the diagnosis, how much time it will take to heal, and whether or not he will miss time should all be revealed in the coming days.