The Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers walked into the Thursday night game with one win each. A lot has been made of who from the AFC West might be able to take the top spot always reserved for the Chiefs. Going into the game, the Chargers looked like the only West team capable of doing it.
Against the Arizona Cardinals, the Chiefs looked unstoppable. However, against the Chargers, they were not looking too great, especially in the first half of the game. The Chiefs barely eked out a victory over the Chargers, despite the defense making a few good stands. It was not pretty, but a win is a win. There is a lot to unpack from the game, so let us look at five takeaways from the game.
Be sure to check out all of our NFL coverage.
Slow Start for Mahomes and the Offense
It was clear as the game progressed that Patrick Mahomes was not himself. However, some blame can be put on how well the Chargers pressured and kept him in check. There were a few times he was able to break out and be the quarterback we know he is. However, it is not all on him or the Chargers’ defense. The plays called were a little suspect, but that could also be said of the Chargers.
Mahomes completed 24 of 35 passes for 235 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Although there were three different occasions when the Chargers ended up with the ball, but they ended up being overturned. The look of the offense changed drastically from how they looked against the Cardinals’ defense. But, of course, the Chargers are a better team than the Cardinals, and it gives the coaching staff a look at how players can be utilized in the future and how the offense can be improved.
Jaylen Watson Makes an Impression
Watson, a seventh-round rookie, stepped in front of tight end Gerald Everett when Herbert made a throw. He ran it back 99 yards for the touchdown. It was the play of not only the game but for the Chiefs. He may not have been on anyone’s radar, but after that play, there will be a lot of fans and teams paying attention to see what else he can do. Unfortunately, his good luck had to come at the expense of Trent McDuffie’s hamstring injury. However, it looks like the Chiefs will have a promising replacement until McDuffie returns.
The Impressive Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Edwards-Helaire had four receptions for 44 yards, the longest of those was for 21 yards. In addition, he had the ball eight times for rushing for 74 yards, with a fantastic 52-yard run in the fourth quarter. He can finally show fans and everyone around the NFL what he is capable of when he is not injured. Expect bigger and better performances from him throughout the season.
Tommy Townsend Makes Punts Count
While he doesn’t get as much love from fans as Harrison Butker, Townsend came out and did his best several times. Several times, he was able to pin the Chargers deep in their own territory. Townsend had six punts for 333 yards, and the longest was for 74 yards in the second quarter. No one wants to see the punter out there, but Townsend was there to do his job when the offense could not do much.
Defense and Growing Pains
They could not seem to be able to stop the Chargers. The defense had a good stand late in the third quarter; however, throughout the game, they appeared unable to keep the Chargers from marching down the field repeatedly. In the third and fourth quarters, the defense for the Chiefs appeared to be able to show up for the game.
Hopefully, these are the growing pains everyone kept talking about when referring to the defense for the Chiefs. Due to more young players in prominent roles, there was some concern about how they would match up against teams on the Chiefs’ level. However, through this game, everyone learned that while the pains were there, the defense stepped up when needed.
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk
Follow Liz Pendergraft on Twitter @lizzibear824
Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
