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There was a lot of speculation about who may unseat the Kansas City Chiefs in a revamped AFC West. The other three teams in the division made significant additions to their rosters throughout the offseason, but the Chiefs are still the monarchs of the finest division in football two weeks in. Patrick Mahomes and company defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 27-24, on Thursday night.
The Chargers received a lot of attention heading into the 2022 NFL season, and for good reason. Justin Herbert is their franchise quarterback. They have a strong skill set and have recruited two quality defenders in Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson during the offseason.
Los Angeles was thought to be the new team to beat in the AFC West and one of the best in the conference. This appeared to be the case for the greater part of four quarters against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night. When the smoke cleared, however, Patrick Mahomes won this fascinating battle with Justin Herbert.
Here are our three takeaways after the Los Angeles Chargers' Week 2 loss vs. the Chiefs.
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 16, 2022
3. Chargers rue missed opportunities
The Chargers played well early but squandered opportunities that cost them late. Jaylen Watson's interception will be remembered as the night's highlight, but it might not have meant as much if Los Angeles had scored more points early on.
Asante Samuel Jr., a Chargers cornerback, should have had two interceptions. One should have been in the end zone and one that was later reversed after review.
Nasir Adderley also had a pick that was called back due to a penalty. Each time an interception was called back, the Chiefs scored. Obviously, if any of these turnovers had stood, the game would have been quite different. When facing a quarterback like Mahomes, the defense must pick inaccurate throws and avoid extending drives with penalties.
The Chargers also blew a chance to make this a blowout in the first half. In the second quarter, usually aggressive head coach Brandon Staley chose to punt on 4th-and-2 from the Chiefs' 47-yard line. On the next drive, he converted a 4th-and-2 from the Chiefs' 48.
The Chargers had an opportunity to exert their will on the Chiefs by being aggressive in the first half. Instead, they played conservatively, allowing Kansas City to linger. In hindsight, that was a costly mistake.
2. Don't press that panic button
While this setback will sting for at least a week, there is no reason to doubt that the Chargers can be elite. Keep in mind that over the last few seasons, Kansas City has been one of the most consistently good NFL teams.
Let's also not forget that the Chiefs have played in four straight AFC championship games.
The margin for error against Kansas City will always be narrow, and the Chargers now know what they must accomplish in their next matchup. They can't afford to give up on plays late in games, and they can't afford to pass up turnover opportunities. The Chargers also can't let up when the Chiefs are on the ropes.
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Yes, the offensive line injuries are a worry, as is Herbert's hard shot on Los Angeles' last drive. After re-entering the game, he seemed to be in a lot of discomfort, but he still produced some fantastic passes to get L.A. right into the end zone.
Coach Staley stated after the game that Herbert is “OK” and that the injury should not be a concern in the future.
If the Chargers can clean up a few things and take a few lessons from Thursday's loss, they'll be one of the conference's most unstoppable teams. When the Chiefs visit L.A. in November, the Chargers should have a strong chance of finishing as the better squad.
1. Justin Herbert is a crazy tough cookie
Justin Herbert possesses a skill set unlike any other quarterback in the game, and the 24-year-old demonstrated one of his best qualities Thursday night.
Toughness.
The Chargers quarterback departed the game for around five minutes in the fourth quarter after being hit hard and falling to the ground. He still came back and finished the game.
After the game, Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley stated that the quarterback was “OK” and was dealing with something around his ribs. He also said that further information will be available this weekend.
Props to Herbert, though. Despite his evident anguish, he reappeared and attempted to lead a comeback. With the Bolts behind 27-17, Herbert guided the offense on a 35-yard touchdown drive that included a ball to DeAndre Carter up the left hashmark. Herbert finished the drive with a Joshua Palmer scored on a 7-yard pass.
By the game's end, Herbert completed 33-of-48 passes for 334 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. He's as talented as they come, but he's also tougher than most. The Chargers definitely have a keeper.
