The Kansas City Chiefs will take a six-game winning streak in the series versus the visiting Los Angeles Chargers into a Sunday night matchup.
Wins aside, the aura of invincibility surrounding the two-time defending champions, however, continues to fade.
The Chiefs enter the Week 14 matchup with an impressive 11-1 record. However, in their four victories over their past five games, one win came in overtime and three others came by three points or fewer.
The latest close call came last Friday when Kansas City held on for a 19-17 home victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chiefs finally sealed the victory when the Raiders botched a snap in shotgun formation with 15 seconds remaining while already in field-goal range.
Yet even as it seems like the rest of the league is starting to catch up to the Chiefs, they do know how to finish off tight games. They are 9-0 this season in games decided by one possession.
Three times this season the Chiefs have scored fewer than 20 points, and they won each contest.
“The hope is that with all of these close finishes, we’re getting wins but it’s keeping us hungry so that we can try to continue to get better as the season goes on,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said.
Close games are reason for concern with the Chiefs, who are on their third kicker. With Harrison Butker down and Spencer Shrader going on injured reserve this week, Matthew Wright was signed from the practice squad after he made 4 of 5 kicks against the Raiders.
“Wright will go this weekend and if he just keeps doing what he has been doing, he has done a nice job for us,” Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said.
Mahomes still threw for 306 yards and a touchdown against the Raiders, while tight end Travis Kelce had a team-best seven receptions. But the Raiders had 434 yards of total offense to 329 for the Chiefs, and Mahomes was sacked five times for minus-40 yards.
The Chargers hope they can lean into a defense that enters the week tied for sixth in the NFL with 36 sacks. Los Angeles (8-4) has plenty of momentum with five victories in its last six games, while allowing fewer than 20 points in four of those five wins.
The Chargers have the best defense in the NFL when it comes to opponents’ points, allowing an average of 15.7. The Chiefs are eighth with 19.6 points allowed.
Where Los Angeles will look to improve is with an offense that gained just 187 total yards and earned 10 first downs in a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The Chargers’ Tarheeb Still had a 61-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Still not only had two interceptions against the Falcons, he also provided the Chargers’ only points of the second half, other than the ensuing two-point conversion. The rookie’s efforts earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
“Great defense wants to be on the field, you know what I mean?” said the Chargers’ Derwin James Jr., who sealed the victory on his own interception with less than a minute remaining. “I feel like we had that talent and we finished how we wanted to finish as a defense.”
Cameron Dicker had three field goals on a day when Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert was 16-of-23 passing for 147 yards and was sacked five times.
“Yeah, we could do some things better (on offense),” head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “But we were at our best when our best was needed most. Maybe just like the defense, it’s going to translate.”
Linebacker Daiyan Henley (knee) was the only Chargers player held out of Wednesday’s practice because of injury. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey (knee/shoulder) was among those with limited participation.
Outside of their kicking situation, the Chiefs are healthy, with all players full participants Wednesday.
–Field Level Media
