Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs opened up NFL season with a 34-20 win over the Texans last Thursday. The offense fired on all cylinders but more importantly, the KC defense looked in championship form. The Chiefs now head to Los Angeles to face another team with championship aspirations in the Chargers.
The L.A. Chargers lost their long-time starting QB in the offseason when Phillip Rivers decided to part from the team and head to Indianapolis. Tyrod Taylor now helms the offense, and claimed his first victory as the Chargers QB in Week 1 versus the Cincinnati Bengals.
With this being an inter-divisional game, the stakes are high even though it’s only Week 2. Can the Chargers pull off an upset? Will the reigning champions roll right through Los Angeles and move to 2-0? More importantly, who do you put your money on?
Chiefs Face Tough Test Against Chargers Front Seven
There’s no argument that the Chiefs have the NFL’s best offense. From the quarterback position all the way down to the last offensive lineman, the Chiefs are tops in the league. On Sunday however, they’ll be facing a defense that generated two turnovers last week against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Chiefs will use their newfound rushing attack to combat the pass rush led by Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. With the addition of rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the Chiefs have the scat-back that can run between tackles, bounce outside, and also make catches down the field. This is the type of back Andy Reid has been looking for since he had Kareem Hunt.
Bosa & Front 7 Are Charged Up
The most entertaining part of this game will be the front seven of Los Angeles versus arguably the most elusive QB in the league. The Chargers defense held the Bengals to only 13 points last week, but the L.A. offense laid an egg after only being able to score 16. Taylor went 16 for 30 and threw for 208 yards with no touchdowns.
Los Angeles seemed to rely heavily on the running game in week one, letting running backs Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley gain a combined 144 yards. If the Chargers want any chance at keeping this game competitive, they’ll need versatility on offense. Not many defenses hold KC in check, and L.A. has to be prepared to win a high scoring game.
Who To Choose In This AFC West Battle?
Although the Chargers have a sound defensive line, they lack the offensive firepower to go up and down the field with Kansas City. Reid has consistently found ways to scheme around strong pass-rush defenses, and will likely use Mahomes’ mobility against the speed rush of the Chargers. Look for Kansas City to start off slow but have a strong lead by the third quarter and keep it that way till the end of the fourth. Take Kansas City -9
