Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1) on Sunday at 8:20 p.m. EST, broadcasted on NBC and Peacock. As per the latest odds from BetMGM, the Chiefs are favored to win by four points. Looking at their performances against the spread, the Chargers are at 8-4 while the Chiefs stand at 5-7. Historically, the Chiefs lead the series against the Chargers with a record of 70 wins, 58 losses, and one tie. In their last encounter on September 29, 2024, the Chiefs took the victory with a close score of 17-10. Last week, the Chargers managed to defeat the Falcons with a score of 17-13, while the Chiefs edged out the Raiders, 19-17.
Examining the offenses, the Chargers rank 24th overall, with their rushing offense at 18th, passing offense also at 24th, and scoring at 18th. On the other hand, the Chiefs find themselves 15th overall, with their rushing game at 19th, passing at 12th, and scoring at 11th. When it comes to defense, the Chargers sit at 14th overall, with a rush defense at 14th and a pass defense performing better at 10th while being ranked first in scoring defense. The Chiefs place 8th overall defensively, boasting a strong rush defense at 3rd, while their pass defense ranks lower at 23rd, with an 8th place in scoring.
In terms of turnover differential, the Chargers are impressive at plus-11, contrasting with the Chiefs’ minus-4. The Chargers have a player to keep an eye on in wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who, despite shoulder and knee injuries, had an impressive performance last week against the Falcons with nine receptions for 117 yards. This puts him as the second-leading rookie receiver this season, quickly becoming one of Justin Herbert’s favorite targets.
For the Chiefs, running back Isiah Pacheco is an important player to watch. He made a brief return from an ankle injury that sidelined him since Week 2, and in his first game back, he had seven carries, with one going for 34 yards, accumulating a total of 44 rushing yards—more than Kareem Hunt’s 15 yards on seven carries.
A key matchup to monitor is between the Chargers’ wide receivers and the Chiefs’ secondary. Kansas City has faced difficulties in their defensive backfield since losing cornerback Jaylen Watson to a season-ending injury. Last week, the Chiefs allowed the Raiders’ quarterback Aidan O’Connell to throw for 340 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, highlighting this vulnerability.
In terms of injuries, Chargers’ Ladd McConkey continues to play through shoulder and knee problems. Additionally, cornerback Cam Hart (ankle) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) missed the last two games but were back at practice on Wednesday. Conversely, the Chiefs seem to be in good health following their recent win against the Raiders.
Looking ahead, the Chiefs have previously enjoyed a winning streak of six against the Chargers since falling 30-24 on September 26, 2021. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is 9-2 versus the Chargers since he began as a starter in the 2018 season, while Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has a 2-6 record against Kansas City.
In terms of stats, the Chargers registered four interceptions last week against Atlanta, their highest tally since a game against Indianapolis on December 6, 2022. McConkey’s 105 receiving yards in the first half last week set a Chargers record for a game’s first half. Herbert is also on the brink of a milestone, needing just 226 passing yards to hit the 20,000-yard mark. Linebacker Daiyan Henley has recorded at least ten tackles in six consecutive games, a record for the Chargers that dates back to 2000. The Chiefs, having secured a playoff berth for ten straight seasons, are now trailing New England’s record of eleven from 2009 to 2019. Mahomes broke the franchise record for touchdown passes last week, eclipsing Hall of Famer Len Dawson with 238 touchdowns. Tight end Travis Kelce is only 53 receiving yards after the catch away from surpassing Terrell Owens for third most yards since YAC became a tracked stat in 1992. Lastly, defensive tackle Chris Jones tallied two sacks last week and needs 6.5 more to become third in franchise history for sacks, surpassing Neil Smith. Placekicker Matthew Wright performed admirably last week, kicking four field goals and extra points after stepping up for an injured Harrison Butker.
In fantasy considerations, Kareem Hunt became a commendable starter while Pacheco was healing from his injury. However, the situation may change as both running backs could share the workload in a team that has leaned more towards the passing game in recent weeks.
