The Kansas City Chiefs opened their season with a disappointing 27-21 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil. At the time, many assumed it would be a small setback on the way to another deep playoff run. Instead, it marked the beginning of a frustrating 6-7 campaign.
Kansas City now needs significant help from teams ahead of it in the AFC Wild Card race — but regardless of what happens elsewhere, the Chiefs must win their final four games, beginning with Sunday’s noon matchup against
the Chargers at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
Unlike recent seasons, Los Angeles has weathered injuries and adversity while Kansas City has stumbled through the back half of its schedule. Speaking before Wednesday’s practice, head coach Andy Reid praised the Chargers for staying afloat behind an opportunistic defense — and noted that quarterback Justin Herbert returned to play in last week’s win over the Philadelphia Eagles just days after surgery on his non-throwing hand.
“[They’re] a good football team, all the way around — offensively and defensively,” Reid remarked. “They’ve been banged up a little bit up front, but they’ve worked through it. [They have] a tough quarterback playing aggressive football, and they’re well-coached defensively; they’re one of the top defenses. I know I say this every week, but we’ve been playing some good defenses. They’re one of the top defenses in a few of those categories that are important, so it’s a nice challenge.”
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes agrees, noting that defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has the Chargers playing better now than they were in Brazil — and as always, safety Derwin James will be a player to watch.
“You get better as the season goes on,” observed the quarterback. “You learn about yourself. They do a good job of the defensive line, playing as a unit [and] getting to the quarterback. The linebackers fly around with speed. Obviously, Derwin can play in the secondary or in the box as well. They have done a great job of playing complementary football together as a defense — and then they have a great defensive coordinator. It’s a heck of a challenge for us — and we’re excited for it.”
On offense, the Chargers are managing their own challenges. Herbert’s hand injury and a string of offensive-line setbacks have limited what they can run — but linebacker Drue Tranquill pointed to the emergence of rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden Jr. and rookie running back Omarion Hampton, who returned from an ankle fracture to play against Philadelphia.
“They have good personnel,” said Tranquill. “Obviously, we know about the quarterback: the toughness he’s exhibited and how good of a player he is. He gets the ball to all these different guys. They’ve got the emerging rookie tight end. They’ve got all the receivers, obviously, and [now have] the rookie running back [on the field]. Coach Roman and Coach Harbaugh put a good plan together every week. They challenge you in a lot of different areas to keep you on your toes.”
Knowing the team’s postseason fate is no longer in its control, Mahomes and Tranquill emphasized that the Chiefs must focus on the part they can control — their own execution — after dropping four of their last five games.
“It’s just kind of how I’m wired,” declared Mahomes. “It’s just that I believe that this team can win any football game — but we have to come and show that. So this will be a great challenge for us — and we understand that — [so] we’ll have to have a great week of practice to try to prepare ourselves.”
Tranquill was a bright spot in Week 14, helping the defense force four three-and-outs against the Houston Texans. But Kansas City ultimately fell 20-10 as the offense struggled to match the defense’s performance.
Tranquill said the defense — and the entire team — must bring the same edge again this week.
“We’re going to need it at noon on Sunday,” he predicted, “and we’re going to have to keep bringing it in all three phases. We have to at this point — or it’ll be over for us.”
