Chargers’ reasons for optimism vs. Chiefs in Week 2
The Chargers largely looked smooth on Sunday against the Raiders.
Will their success continue on Thursday against the Chiefs?
Here are four reasons to believe Los Angeles will start 2-0:
Butterfingers
Kansas City may have beaten Arizona 44-21 on Sunday, but the Chiefs fumbled the ball five times, somehow only losing one of them. Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne, and Isiah Pacheco all fumbled once, while JuJu Smith-Schuster fumbled twice. The Chargers, on the other hand, forced three fumbles against the Raiders. While Kansas City will undoubtedly focus on ball security leading up to the game, the Week 1 stats suggest Los Angeles should be able to pop it loose once or twice on Thursday.
Top 3 quarterback play
If there’s anyone that can hang with Patrick Mahomes, it’s Justin Herbert. The two young superstars have matched up three times in their careers, with the Chiefs holding a +3 point differential across the games. Two of them have gone to overtime, with Kansas City pulling both of them out, while the Chargers won the solitary matchup to finish in regulation. In four career games against the Chiefs, Herbert has thrown for 1,130 yards and ten touchdowns to just two interceptions, good for a quarterback rating of 108.3. Stopping Mahomes entirely is practically impossible, but keeping pace with him has proven to be a winning strategy before. With Herbert at the helm, Los Angeles is one of the few teams capable of doing so.
J.C. Jackson’s possible return
Jackson was estimated as a limited participant on Tuesday after an estimated did not practice on Monday as he continues to rehab from ankle surgery. Getting him back on Thursday would be huge for a Chargers’ defense that has already seen offseason additions Khalil Mack and Austin Johnson make a big impact on the game. There’s plenty of hype for what this defense is capable of with Jackson in the fold, too:
Chargers pass defense is doing to be hell to deal with when JC Jackson comes back. They’re disguising and matching routes at a high level already. Not to mention, that pass rush.
— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) September 13, 2022
If Jackson’s debut comes on Thursday, it could be enough to tip the scales in the Bolts’ favor.
Road Warriors
Per Tipico Sportsbook, LA is a 3.5-point underdog on Thursday in Arrowhead. But in four games last season as a road underdog, the Chargers finished 3-1 both against the spread and straight up. That’s a bit surprising considering that Los Angeles finished 4-4 on the road as a whole last season. It suggests the Bolts will be ready to play on Thursday, even in a stadium as loud as Arrowhead.
