The Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers took place in an AFC West showdown Sunday evening, with the surprise start of Justin Herbert. Moments before kickoff Chargers’ head coach, Anthony Lynn, received word that Tyrod Taylor was going to have to be taken to the hospital with chest pains. Just five months before this Justin Herbert was the 6th overall pick, and now he is being tossed into the fire against the defending Super Bowl champions.
Austin Ekeler took some pressure off his rookie quarterback with back to back 9-yard runs. Herbert would miss his first pass, but come back with a swing pass to Josh Kelley that would go for 35-yards. Ekeler would pick up another 16-yards through the air, and set up Justin Herbert to run it in for his first career touchdown.
Both teams would go back and forth, driving down the field but ultimately coming up with nothing in return. After nearly an 18 minute drought without scoring, Patrick Mahomes led a 10-play drive down the field for a score. The drive would be capped off with a 10-yard touchdown grab from Travis Kelce.
Things still weren’t sliding Kansas City’s way though. After an offensive holding call negated Harrison Butker’s first extra point, Los Angeles was able to block his second attempt at the extra point.
The Chargers’ running backs continued to give the Chiefs defense problems, and were 74% of LA’s 81-yard scoring drive. Justin Herbert would finish the drive off with a 14-yard passing touchdown to Jalen Guyton, the first of both player’s careers. Kansas City would get the ball back for a short moment before punting it away, heading into halftime trailing the Chargers 14-6.
Harrison Butker and Mike Badgley traded field goals in the third quarter making it a 17-9 game. With under 3 minutes left in the third quarter the Chargers began driving down the field once again. Herbert looked for the kill shot as he rolled to the left side of the field and chunked a 34-yard pass that was intercepted by L’Jarius Sneed.
If you watched the NFL playoffs last year you would know this is exactly where the Chiefs look to be in the 4th quarter, down by 10+. Right one cue, Mahomes connects with Tyreek Hill for a 54-yard touchdown to bring the game within two points. A Mecole Hardman 2-pt conversion would then tie the game, 17-17.
Anthony Lynn has seen this one too many times before though, and did his best to halt the surging Chiefs. Herbert and Co marched down the field with an 18 play, 10+ minute drive that would sadly just result in a field goal. The Los Angeles Chargers would take the lead 20-17 with 2:20 left in the game.
That is still plenty of time for this Chiefs offense, so much so that even three offensive plentys wouldn’t stop them from tying the game as the clock expired. The Chargers would open the overtime play with a three and out, seemingly ending the game as punting to the Chiefs in OT is football suicide. Mecole Hardman returned the punt 16-yards, setting the Chiefs offense up at their own 21 yard line.
Kansas City would slowly pick away the yardage needed, ultimately ending up at the Chargers 35 yard line by the two-minute warning. Coming out the break, the Chiefs decided to just call it a game and bring out the kicking team. A plenty would turn a 53-yard field goal into a 58-yard field goal, but it did not matter for Butker. The 58-yard attempt was more than good and completed yet another comeback victory for the Chiefs.
You could argue that the rookie Justin Herbert out-dueled the reigning Super Bowl MVP, and finished the day with 311 yards passing on 22 of 33 pass attempts, and two total touchdowns. Mahomes had another Mahomes like game, throwing for 302 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions on 27 of 47 pass attempts. He would also account for 54 yards rushing, which led the Chiefs.
Keenan Allen was the Los Angeles Chargers leading receiver with seven receptions for 96 yards. Ekeler had a game high 93 yards rushing to go with his four catches for 55 yards. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was much more of a weapon in the passing game this week, catching six passes for 32 yards to go along with his 10 carries for 38 yards.
Herbert wasn’t the only rookie to have a good game today. The Chiefs rookie cornerback, L’Jarius Sneed, came down with an interception for the second week in a row. Travis Kelce led the Chiefs with nine receptions, and finished with 90 yards and a touchdown. Tyreek Hill went home with five receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown.
Kansas City will head up to Baltimore for one of the biggest matchups of the year as they take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3. Los Angeles will host the Carolina Panthers at SoFi Stadium, where Tyrod Taylor could possibly be the starting quarterback once again. Anthony Lynn said if Taylor is 100%, he will be the starter for this offense.
