On Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil. We welcome Michael Peterson of Bolts from the Blue — our sister SBNation site covering the Chargers — for Five Questions with the Enemy.
1. While Ladd McConkey is among the league’s best young receivers, he needed some postseason help. How are the players the Chargers have put around him?
I think they’ve done a phenomenal job of rounding out the receiver room with other young talent (Tre’ Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith) and a legitimate veteran presence: Keenan Allen. As a rookie early on, McConkey was really forced into leading that group — and he obviously thrived despite
the circumstances. And with Allen back, the Chargers can move McConkey around without sacrificing a threat in the slot. Both Harris and KLS looked good on the outside during the preseason; when isolated, each hauled in their fair share of contested catches. I can’t predict the ceiling for this group — but I do feel strongly that in the years to come, they will end up being one of the league’s best.
2. With the injury to Rashawn Slater, the Chargers have been dealt a huge blow. They are lucky to have Joe Alt to slide over, but how strong is the offensive line?
If everyone was healthy, this might be a top-8 unit — or somewhere in the top 10. But without Slater — and with left guard Zion Johnson and center Bradley Bozeman back this season — I do not have all that much confidence in the group. Slater and Johnson were the weakest links — and the Bolts did not do enough to try and upgrade more on the interior. With Slater out, Alt and Mehki Becton must play above themselves to raise the level of the guys between them.
The addition of Omarion Hampton may make the whole group look a lot better, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the team struggle to establish the run better than they did a year ago.
3. Fans know Khalil Mack and Derwin James. Football junkies are already in on Tuli Tuipulotu. Who is a Chargers’ defensive standout who will make a big mark in 2025?
I think if the Chargers’ defense wants to be dominant again in 2025, second-year cornerback Tarheeb Still will have to put together another strong season after leading the team in both pass breakups (10) and interceptions (4) as a rookie. The team added veteran Donte Jackson (5 interceptions in 2024) and Benjamin St-Juste in free agency, but only Jackson won a starting job next to Still. Jackson’s interceptions total last year looks good, but he was still open to being exploited at a clip higher than we’d like to see. Without any marquee names at cornerback, players like Still will have to hold the group up — or out of nowhere, the position could easily become one of the roster’s weak spots.
4. The Chiefs signed cornerback Kristian Fulton. How do you expect the former Charger to fit into Steve Spagnuolo’s defense?
I think the best way to get the most out of Fulton is for the Chiefs’ front seven to force quick passes via pressure. In coverage last season, Fulton allowed the most touchdowns — and had a very rough end to his short tenure in Los Angeles. That unsurprisingly led to not being re-signed. Spags is a very good defensive coordinator. He will need to put as little as possible on Fulton’s plate, hoping he can become a ball-hawking, opportunistic defender. But if you asking him to cover an opposing WR1, it may not end up going very well.
5. Everything is weird about this Week 1 game — from the country to the day of the week. How do you see it playing out?
I think it’s going to be competitive from start to finish. I think both teams will take their lumps — and each side will see momentum swing away (and back) quite a bit. But until proven otherwise, this one is likely to end with the Chiefs having the ball at the end — walking off with a win. We’ve all seen this movie many, many times. If the Chargers want things to end differently, they’ll have to make it happen. Until then, this is Kansas City’s game.
You can see the answers I gave to the Chargers’ questions by clicking here.
