The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers will head south for an AFC West matchup on Monday Night Football that will be played in Mexico City, Mexico. The Chargers have started out this season 4-6 while the Chiefs are just 6-4, as both teams have fallen short of expectations so far this season after looking like serious contenders out of the AFC in the preseason.
Hoping To Get Rolling
The Kansas City Chiefs have had a roller-coaster of a season so far, between the injury to Patrick Mahomes and falling short against Tennessee in Mahomes’ first game back last week. They were the popular vote to make a run out of the AFC after last season but are currently fighting to stay above .500 this year. They are favored by four points in this game and could really use a win after losing to the Titans.
While he has been in, Mahomes has picked up right where he left off last season. He has thrown for 2,626 yards, 18 touchdowns and just one interception. After winning MVP last season, Mahomes is one of the most dangerous weapons in the NFL and is always going to pose a threat to any defense he faces.
Mahomes’ favorite target again this season has been Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce, who has 56 receptions so far this season for 741 yards and three touchdowns. Another weapon on offense that is back late this season is Tyreek Hill. Hill has exploded back onto his scene this season and will be a vital part of their offense from this week on.
The Chiefs are posting 28.4 points per game this season while allowing 23.9 on defense. They have also averaged 419 yards per game while giving up 393.7. Since adding LeSean McCoy, they have brought a new dynamic to their offense as he has posted 371 yards and two touchdowns on the ground this season.
Still Struggling
The Chargers are another team that had high expectations coming into the season but have been very hit and miss so far. They are currently just 4-6, and their Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback Philip Rivers has had a slow start.
Rivers has thrown for 2,816 yards, which is at the top of the league, and he has also thrown for 14 touchdowns, but he has racked up 10 interceptions over their first 10 games. He has always been known as a bit of a gunslinger-style quarterback, but he will need to keep possession of the football if they hope to turn their season around.
Rivers’ primary target this season has been Keenan Allen with 62 receptions, 725 yards and three touchdowns. While Melvin Gordon is back on the field for the Chargers, Austin Ekeler leads the team in rushing with 340 yards and three touchdowns. With both of them in the backfield, the Chargers should be able to pound the rock more and control the tempo.
The Chargers have posted 20.7 points per game while giving up 19.4. They are also averaging 368.4 yards per game while giving up 334 on defense. They are coming off a close loss against Oakland, but they won their previous two over the Packers and Bears. This game could be not only a big division win but a big momentum-builder moving forward.
What to Expect
The Chiefs are favored by four points in this game after Mahomes and the offense have slowed down over the past few weeks. I think they will bounce back big in this game and win by more than four. I have the Chiefs by seven in this game.
