The Kansas City Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m. EDT on NBC/Peacock for the national audience. With a win, the Chiefs will be able to secure their seventh consecutive AFC West title and break the three-way tie between them and the Broncos and Raiders for the most divisional titles.
Kansas City enters the game with an 11-1 record, which is second-best in the NFL but has them atop the AFC. Meanwhile, Los Angeles sits at 8-4, fighting to maintain its grip on the AFC’s No. 5 seed. Under first-year Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers have put themselves back into playoff contention, winning five of their last six games.
This game is more than just two divisional opponents facing off, it’s a chance for both teams to see how they stack up at this point in the season. With key players returning to the lineup for Kansas City and LA’s defense performing at an elite level, this should be another classic between two of the best teams in the AFC.
Game/Team Matchup Info
The Chiefs enter this game with a 70-58-1 all-time series record over the Chargers as they look to renew their rivalry Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City has won the last six meetings against Los Angeles dating back to 2021. Their most recent meeting was earlier this season in Week 4, and the Chiefs managed to edge the Chargers out 17-10 in the contest.
According to ESPN, Kansas City is a 3.5-point favorite, with an over/under set at 43.5 points. Although the Chiefs enter this game as the AFC’s top seed, their victories have been less than impressive and some might even call them lucky. On the other hand, this team did become the only team in NFL history to win 14 consecutive, one-possession games after their 19-17 victory over the Raiders on Black Friday. This points to the Chiefs not being just lucky, but instead, there’s a method to the madness. The Chargers are looking to replicate this formula themselves coming off a close win last week against the Falcons.
Statistically, the Chargers rely on their defense to help set them up for success. Los Angeles enters this matchup with the NFL’s best scoring defense, and a top-10 passing defense. However, their offense ranks just 24th overall. On the other side of the field, the Chiefs’ offense, which is led by their Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Head Coach Andy Reid, sits 15th overall. Even with the slipping in recent weeks this defense has been the team’s backbone for the majority of this season and heading into this game is the eighth-best unit in the NFL and third against the run.
KC’s Keys to Success
The Chiefs’ dominance in the AFC West over the past six years is well-recorded, and this game offers another chance for the Chiefs to pull away from the pack again. Even at 11-1, and overcoming adverse situations, they still face growing skepticism after lackluster performances in recent weeks.
Their key to getting back on track will begin with the return of two players, the first being their No. 1 Running Back Isiah Pacheco. Pacheco made his return from injury against the Raiders and even in his limited snaps, his explosiveness was clear to see an aspect this offense has missed in their run game with him out. He finished with 44 rushing yards on just seven carries, and this week his workload is expected to increase. The Chiefs get back their edge in the ground game.
Defensively, Kansas City’s front seven has done just enough to help this defense remain respectable. A unit led by Chris Jones, but similarly to the offense now has another vital piece returned to them. Defensive End Charles Omenihu had been out with an ACL injury he suffered in the AFC Championship Game last season. He also returned against the Raiders, and even though he did not fill up the stat sheet for himself, he did allow his teammates to do so.
With Jones recording two sacks last week and George Karlaftis tacking on another for himself. With Kansas City now having its full unit of pass rushers available, this puts the Chiefs in the best position to be able to contain Chargers Quarterback Justin Herbert from using his legs and slowing down their running game.
Los Angeles Chargers Keys to Success
The Chargers from just a season ago finished the year 5-12. After 14 weeks they have already improved their win total by three games, and are in a prime position to make it back to the playoffs. This can be largely credited to the guidance of Jim Harbaugh, who has brought a winning mentality in his first season.
Last week the Chargers managed to secure a win over the Falcons due to their defense coming through with a late-game interception from Derwin James that sealed the win. For much of this season, their defense has come through with timely plays setting up their team in favorable positions which is why they are the NFL’s best scoring unit on this side of the ball. This week this opportunistic unit will have to look for ways to keep this trend going if they want any chance of knocking off Kansas City and proving to themselves that they are the team to beat in the 2024 AFC Playoffs.
On the offensive side of things, Justin Herbert has not put up his usual gaudy stats, but instead, he’s been much more efficient this season. Herbert is currently on 305 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception. However, there have been some issues for the Chargers offense such as their ability to consistently get into the endzone. Los Angeles currently ranks 18th in scoring offense, which might come back to bite them in this game going up against a team with a top-8 defense.
Kansas City Players to Watch
Isiah Pacheco is the Chiefs offensive player to watch in this game as this game could likely be his coming out party (part two). After returning from injury last week, and what he’s done so far on the Chiefs, he has demonstrated his ability to change games with his explosive running. Paired with his dual-threat capability as a rusher and pass-catcher makes him the missing piece of the Chiefs’ offensive puzzle.
On defense, the one player who draws the most attention from opposing offenses week in and out is Chris Jones. The dominant wall up front for the Chiefs’ defensive front is tied for their team-high in sacks (five) this season and has been instrumental in pressuring quarterbacks and stopping the run. Whoever is lined up against Jones will have their hands full which is why there are multiple players usually tasked with stopping him. With this being the case, especially this week with Omenihu being back into the fold, the rest of the Kansas City defenders will have more opportunities at limiting Herbert and the Chargers offense from getting anything going.
Los Angeles Chargers Players to Watch
Even with rookie Wide Receiver Ladd McConkey dealing with both a shoulder and knee injury, he is still coming off a game where he had 9 for 117 yards. McConkey at this point of the season is the player to watch out for when it comes to the Chargers offense. He currently has the second-most yards receiving of any rookie and has become Herbert’s go-to option in their passing game.
In his first meeting against Kansas City, he had 5 receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown, with one play going for 37 yards. Even as a rookie, his precise route-running, reliable hands, and ability to find openings in coverage will be critical against taking advantage of a struggling Kansas City secondary.
Defensively, Derwin James, the Chargers defensive anchor, is the player to watch on this side of the ball. James, known for his versatility as a safety, excels in both pass coverage and run support. James also has a knack for big plays, as shown last week in their win over Atlanta. Although he doesn’t lead his team in any statistical category unless there has been a way to start tracking intangibles, he is at the center of this defense, and will likely be one of the determining factors in whether or not they can pull out this win.
Final Thoughts
Sunday night’s matchup between the Chiefs and Chargers has significant implications for both teams. For Kansas City, it’s a chance to secure another division title and move closer to securing the top seed in their conference. For Los Angeles, it’s about proving they belong among the AFC’s elite, while also securing their spot in this year’s postseason.
Fans watching this game should expect to see a hard-fought contest with contrasting styles: Kansas City’s balanced attack versus LA’s suffocating defense. With so much at stake for both teams, this game will likely come down to which team can execute down the stretch. A Chiefs victory would cement their dominance over their division, but the Chargers have no plans of going quietly into the night.
