The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 22-6 on Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium, improving their record to 5-0 this season. Here is some rapid reaction to the win:
The contest between an undefeated team and a winless team looked the part primarily in one phase of the game: the Chiefs’ defense versus the Chargers’ offense.
The Chiefs’ offense kept this game close, whether it was conservative fourth-down decisions by head coach Andy Reid early, a red-zone interception by quarterback
Patrick Mahomes or a stuffed fourth-and-goal run from inside the one-yard line in the third quarter.
Special teams weren’t much help either; after returner Nikko Remigio nearly fumbled the opening kickoff, he fumbled an extended punt return after a three-and-out forced by the Chiefs’ defense inside the Chargers’ own one-yard line.
Kicker Harrison Butker also missed a 52-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, missing an opportunity to push Kansas City’s lead to 16 points rather than 13 with under 12 minutes to go.
Those factors kept the scoreboard from lighting up in the Chiefs’ favor; the Chargers barely sniffed double digits.
Los Angeles converted just five of 16 third-down attempts and failed on all three of its fourth-down attempts. Herbert was sacked four times and intercepted once, following an interception that was questionably negated when defensive end Ashton Gillotte came in too high to pressure Herbert as he threw.
The Chargers went three-and-out four times and reached double-digit plays on a possession only once before garbage time.
Herbert finished with 204 passing yards on 37 attempts and a passer rating of 63.3. That includes a 57-yard bomb to wide receiver Quentin Johnston, completed in incredible fashion despite Chiefs cornerback Mansoor Delane cleanly getting his hands between Johnston’s and disrupting the ball when it first got there.
The pass got down to Kansas City’s one-yard line, but the possession ended in a field goal. The Chiefs’ defense held strong, as it did all afternoon.
Los Angeles faced third-and-long all game because the Chiefs’ run defense stifled the run game. No Chargers ball carrier gained 10 or more yards on a run; the running backs combined for 43 yards on 16 carries.
Linebacker Nick Bolton led the way with 10 tackles, but defensive end George Karlaftis was arguably the most disruptive up front one again. Beyond his six tackles, including two for a loss, Karlaftis batted down two passes and hit Herbert two other times.
He didn’t end the Chiefs’ sack drought, however. Gillotte came barreling down on Herbert in the second half, burying him in the grass and drawing a roar from Arrowhead.
That was one of two sacks on the day; defensive tackles Peter Woods and Chris Jones split a sack on a second-down play in the third quarter when the Chargers were backed up at their own one-yard line. Linebacker Jack Cochrane got in on the action by intercepting a pass and returning it 48 yards down the sideline. Veteran linebacker and former Chargers starter Drue Tranquill pounced on a fumble in the second half.
The big men on the Chiefs’ defense had a better effort, but the secondary players highlighted the dominating performance. The injured wide receiver in Los Angeles was limited to just 40 receiving yards, aside from the long-ball completion to Johnston.
Cornerback Nohl Williams broke up two passes and made one of the game’s biggest plays when he secured the tackle on a Chargers wideout short of the stick on fourth-and-6. He also recorded a tackle for loss. Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed broke up a pass, forced a fumble, and recorded four tackles.
By the end of this AFC West battle, Herbert was walking around gingerly after a quarterback hit by defensive end Felix Anduike-Uzomah. Then safety Chamarri Conner flew through the line of scrimmage and brought Herbert down just before the two-minute warning.
It was the third sack of the game and felt like the nail in the coffin of the game and the Chargers’ season — until Karlaftis flew into the backfield and secured the team’s fourth sack of the afternoon. Herbert took nine hits.
The 0-6 team found life in the second half after errors by the Chiefs’ offense and special teams, but defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit ensured Kansas City coasted to a fifth straight win by the end of the fourth quarter.
