5 takeaways from Chiefs’ Week 15 win over Chargers
Kansas City Chiefs fans were confident heading into the team’s Week 15 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, and rightfully so. Coming in on a six-game win streak that placed them atop the AFC West, and with a full head of steam coming off a monumental victory over the rival Raiders, Kansas City played the part of a championship contender on a short turnaround.
This game between two top teams felt like their first matchup of the season, where it seemed everything would’ve had to go right for the Chargers and wrong for the Chiefs to change the guard in the division. Kansas City was battered and sick after their game against the Raiders and had to overcome significant adversity to maintain their role as the AFC’s top dog in the West.
Here were our five biggest takeaways from the remarkable victory in Week 15:
Chiefs succeed despite lackluster pass rush
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Nobody registered a sack in this matchup despite Chargers star rookie offensive lineman Rashawn Slater missing the game due to COVID protocols. Frank Clark was playing without the benefit of Chris Jones stuffing up the middle, and though Tershawn Wharton played admirably in his absence, the defensive line underperformed after several weeks of high-intensity football.
The lack of depth should be a temporary setback for the Chiefs, it could play a factor in their playoff hopes if injuries start to pile up. Poor play in the pass rush led to a leaky run defense that enabled Los Angeles to rush for nearly 200 yards, which kept the time of possession battle squarely in the Chargers’ favor. If it weren’t for some solid play on the back-end from the equally beat-up secondary, Kansas City very well could’ve conceded its divisional lead in this game.
Patrick Mahomes falters slightly, made the plays that counted the most
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Though he has put to rest any doubts about his fitness to lead Kansas City to another Super Bowl to rest, Mahomes hasn’t looked quite like himself despite his team’s undeniable success. His performances have been good but not great, with fewer turnovers but a nagging inconsistency that has put the Chiefs in some tough spots at times.
His resiliency, though, has remained unmatched. With the biggest games of the season still ahead, Mahomes looks like he could catch fire at just the right time to make Kansas City highly competitive in January. If he can make big plays in the biggest moments then like he did this week, the Chiefs will be one of the most feared teams in either conference’s bracket.
Chargers prove that analytics aren't everything with aggressive game plan
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Most NFL coaches are content to take the points their offense earns them, traditionally seeming more than willing to kick field goals, even near the goal line. Chargers head coach Brandon Staley broke from the norm against Kansas City, and he paid dearly for his overly aggressive game plan to beat the division’s top dog.
Many seem to believe that field goals aren’t enough to beat the Chiefs in a close game, and they might be right, but Andy Reid proved that his team has the grit to make opponents pay every time they pass up easy points. Los Angeles would’ve won handily this week if they had just capitalized on easy opportunities for field goals they chose to forego throughout the matchup.
Analytics remain a powerful tool, perhaps the most powerful, for every team that wants to maximize their season. Yet with so much on the line for the Chargers this week, it seems they didn’t have the common sense necessary to come out with a win.
Nick Bolton made his case for Chiefs rookie of the year
AP Photo/Ashley Landis
An outstanding 2021 campaign by Bolton has only been overshadowed by Micah Parsons’ unprecedented production for the Dallas Cowboys this season, and if it weren’t for the sack numbers put up by Parsons, the Chiefs rookie could make a strong case for Rookie of the Year honors.
From Week 1, Bolton has been an impact playmaker for a Kansas City defense that desperately needed new life pumped into it, and his selection in the second round of April’s draft will prove to be one of the best value selections of the whole process. His 14 tackles led Kansas City in this matchup and showed just how special he can be when at the peak of his abilities.
A local legend from Mizzou, Bolton made a name for himself in Columbia with tenacious tackling ability, keen instincts, and a penchant for putting big hits on players unfortunate enough to leak into his zone. Not much has changed at the pro level, and in time he could become one of the NFL’s most promising young linebackers.
Chiefs running game was stagnant, Mahomes led team in rushing
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Part of what fed into the Chargers’ success in this matchup was the Chiefs’ one-dimensional offense that presented nothing new to Los Angeles until crunch time. Former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire only managed 32 yards in the game on nine attempts, matching Mahomes’ production on the ground with three times the number of carries. If the MVP quarterback has to shoulder the load in both the running and passing games moving forward, Kansas City could be in for a world of trouble against more experienced defenses.
Nobody expects the Chiefs’ running backs to put up 100-yard performances with multiple touchdowns every game given the nature of Andy Reid’s offense, but more explosive plays are needed to present a legitimate threat to opposing defenses. One hand washes the other when it comes to run-pass balance in the NFL, and Kansas City will need to make a concerted effort to get its ground attack in rhythm before elimination games start.
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