3 key matchups to watch in Chargers vs. Chiefs

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists three key position matchups to watch when the Chargers take on the Chiefs in Week 11.

The Chargers and Chiefs are set to be featured in primetime on Monday Night Football.

Here are three key matchups to watch that could ultimately determine the outcome of the game:

CB Casey Hayward vs. WR Tyreek Hill

Hayward continues to shutdown the league’s most prolific wideouts on a weekly basis, but now, he will be tasked with limiting not only one of the best, but the fastest that he’s faced this season.

Since missing the first four games of the season due to suspension, Hill has come back and has been a headache for opposing secondaries. He has scored five touchdowns in the last four games. Over his last two performances, Hill is averaging 148.5 receiving per game.

Hayward will have to keep Hill in front of him and eliminate the dink and dunk plays turning into big plays. Safety Rayshawn Jenkins will have a bigger role as he needs to come up and make plays from the single high role, whether that be as an open-field tackler or breaking up deep passes.

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Chargers’ Russell Okung out of practice while rehabbing groin strain

Chargers offensive tackle Russell Okung did not practice on Tuesday and his status for Week 11 is questionable.

Following Thursday night’s game, Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said that offensive tackle Russell Okung’s status for the Monday night game against the Chiefs would be up in the air. Fast forward five days later, and it appears to be the same way.

Okung left the Week 10 matchup against the Raiders after only playing seven snaps with a groin injury and did not return to the game.

“He’s rehabbing. He’s working on the side. We’ll see where he’s at. .I’d love to see him play, but if he can’t go, he won’t go,” Lynn said, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

If Okung is forced to miss Week 11, rookie Trey Pipkins will get the start at left tackle, while Trent Scott will fill in at right tackle for Sam Tevi, who underwent a minor surgery on his meniscus last Friday and could miss a couple weeks.

Pipkins and Scott will get a full week to prepare before facing a Chiefs front that leads the league in sacks (52).

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