It’s another AFC West divisional showdown for the Kansas City Chiefs as they host the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7.
The Chiefs have the longest active winning streak and are tied for the best record in the NFL. They will enter this game on 10 days rest after beating the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football in Week 6. Kansas City’s defense is playing at an elite level and the offense, while still working through some kinks, is still one of the better units in the league.
It’s been another year of ups and downs for the Chargers thus far in 2023. They kicked off the season with two losses, followed by two wins, then fell back under .500 with a loss to the Dallas Cowboys last week. Each of Los Angeles’ games has been decided by one possession.
Check out our offseason report on the Chargers, where you’ll find information about their offseason moves and key players. Now, let’s see what it will take for the Chiefs to beat their division foes.
Chiefs defense vs. Chargers offense
Head coach Brandon Staley made a change at offensive coordinator during the offseason, bringing in Kellen Moore. 11 personnel sets (three wide receivers, one tight end) are a staple of Moore’s offense. The 11-personnel scheme allows an offense to be flexible and create mismatches.
Moore is an aggressive playcaller who wants to stretch the field with the vertical passing game. The Chargers started off the season doing that pretty well, but the loss of wide receiver Mike Williams was a big blow. Quarterback Justin Herbert is averaging just 173 passing yards in each of his last two games.
Moore needs a receiver to step up and be a legitimate deep threat. Keenan Allen is still producing in his 11th NFL season, but he’s more of a short-intermediate possession receiver these days. Joshua Palmer has had some moments but is inconsistent, and first-round pick Quentin Johnston has caught just six passes this season.
Some of the Chargers’ offensive struggles are on Herbert’s shoulders, too. Last week against the Cowboys Herbert missed multiple passes to open receivers downfield. If Herbert can’t stretch the field, the Chiefs’ defensive backs won’t have to cover as deep and can swarm the short passing game.
One piece of good news for L.A.’s offense is the return of running back Austin Ekeler. Ekeler does a great job of finding open space on the boundary for Herbert to easily check down to him. He is also an excellent outside zone, one-cut runner. Setting the edge against him and getting a good push before he can cut upfield will be crucial for the Chiefs’ front seven.
Chiefs' offense vs. Chargers' defense
Staley elevated Derrick Ansley from defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator during the offseason, but this is very much Staley’s defensive. Staley is a disciple of longtime defensive coordinator and former head coach Vic Fangio. Staley runs a base 3-4 defense similar to Fangio’s.
The three large down linemen try to eat up as much space and get as good of a push as possible and let the linebackers make the plays. The Chargers’ defense is great at disguising. It rarely actually does what it shows pre-snap. Staley wants to dictate where the ball goes.
He will present a light box, hoping that the offensive will audible into a run, only to bring pressure from defenders who appeared that they were going to drop in coverage. Conversely, there will be times when Staley presents a heavy box but drops seven or eight defenders into coverage. Staley is an innovator when it comes to coverages.
He frequently plays Cover 8 back in the secondary, a hybrid coverage where the defense drops eight defenders. He plays Cover 2 to the strong side and Cover 4 to the weak side. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes will need to be patient and not force the ball to a particular area. Spreading the ball around and taking what the Charger defense gives him will be the key.
Coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy can help Mahomes out by dialing up plays that get the ball out of his hands quickly. Slants, drags, hitch, and flat routes would be good options. Then there’s the screen game, which we all know is Reid’s specialty.
Pre-snap motion, which the Chiefs do a lot of, is another helpful tool to force defenders out of position. There should be plenty of opportunities for success as the L.A. pass defense is allowing the most passing yards per game in the league.
