The Chiefs moved to 2-0 on the season after giving all of Chiefs Kingdom a heart attack in the process. Guess football truly is back. The Chiefs pulled off a come from behind victory after being down 17-7 at halftime with the Chargers having a dominant first half. The defense held its own, but was hindered by playcalling ineptitude on offense and an uncharacteristically out of sync day for Patrick Mahomes and his receivers. That, for the most part at least, changed after a would be interception by Asante Samuel Jr. was called incomplete. The Chiefs crowd found energy once again, the Chiefs scored making it 17-14, and the defense shored up to stop the Chargers on every drive until the last offensive possession for LA. Not only that however, they scored a touchdown on their own, with Jaylen Watson taking an interception 99 yards to the house. Jaylen Watson is a rookie 7th round pick who was working at Wendy's two years ago. A truly incredible story that I may delve into a bit more in depth in a later article.
So let's break down the overall performances though, an ugly win but a win nonetheless. Referees made some questionable calls, but that is zero excuse for some of the plays made (or not made) by the Chiefs offense in particular. Playcalling seemed to be the prime issue that plagued them, and that is somewhat concerning. Running a screen on 3rd and 16, a reverse on 3rd and 1, choosing not to go for a 4th and 1 at the goalline, lots of issues that should be and hopefully will be fixed. When they started to frequent the running backs and tight ends is when it switched on, mainly because the Charger secondary is one of the best in the league. Targeting the flats and the linebackers was best, and they got it done. The defense looked serviceable in the first half, but lots of penalties and a habit of letting Mike Williams have space (a habit that has been around as long as Williams has been with the Chargers) They looked outstanding in the second half however, getting pressure on Justin Herbert, breaking up passes without egregious contact, stuffing the run, and overall bringing life back into Arrowhead after a bad half.
I'm not going to discount the Chargers and Justin Herbert's (mainly Herbert's) performance though. They always bring their A-game against the Chiefs, and it showed throughout the game that they are contenders to be reckoned with. Justin Herbert threw very well sans one untimely interception, Austin Ekeler had a great first half, and you have to admire the toughness of Justin Herbert, standing in the pocket taking hit after hit to the point of where his ribs may very well be cracked or broken. He showed poise, he showed toughness, and he showed Chiefs Kingdom that Mahomes Vs. Herbert will be a classic for years to come. The Chiefs still own this division however, and as long as they can keep the Chargers at bay I think it'll be another AFC West title year for KC. Well played though Chargers, well played.
Burn Notice: 10/10 Touchdown fireworks after Jaylen Watson's INT return
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