The Los Angeles Chargers battled hard at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday night but in the end, it still wasn’t enough.
It was a tale of two halves for the Chargers as they could do nothing in the first half, going into the locker room trailing 13-0, but came out like a completely different team in the second half. The Chargers led 17-16 late in the fourth quarter but the Chiefs did what the Chiefs do, masterfully managing the final four minutes of the game to set up a winning field goal with no time left on the clock. But it didn’t come easily, look how close the Chargers came to winning this game.
You almost have to be kidding. What a heartbreaking loss for the Chargers.
With the defeat, the Chargers drop to 8-4 on the year and the Chiefs have won the AFC West division for a ninth straight season. Let’s take a look at the good, the bad and the ugly from this game for the Chargers.
Chargers in Week 14: The good
Quentin Johnston
The target for a lot of negativity this season because of his drop issues, Quentin Johnston had a nice night for the team, catching five passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. His first catch of the game came as he was coming across the middle of the field before taking a huge hit from Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton. Not only did Johnston hold onto the ball, but an unnecessary roughness penalty was tacked on against the Chiefs.
For a guy who has had trouble with the most routine catches this season, this was a tremendous play.
Stone Smartt
After Will Dissly was forced out of the game with an injury, the backup tight end made three catches for 54 yards as part of a second-half offensive surge for the Chargers. These key catches by Smartt helped set up the Chargers to put points on the board on two possessions.
Chargers offensive line
The running game was largely ineffective, which should be a big concern at this point until J.K. Dobbins can return, but the offensive line did open a nice hole for a Gus Edwards touchdown run in the third quarter and Justin Herbert was provided with a decent pocket to throw from for most of the night.
Chargers in Week 14: The bad
Loss of Ladd McConkey
Not having Ladd McConkey was an obvious disadvantage for the Chargers as the wide receivers had a difficult time gaining separation for a good chunk of this game. Herbert had time to throw, but nobody was open too often.
It seems the Chiefs were intent on making stopping McConkey the focus of their gameplan.
Running game
As touched on, the running game is just not effective enough for the team to make up for its lack of explosiveness in the passing game.
The Chargers had a total of 94 yards rushing in the game but the running back duo of Edwards and Kimani Vidal had just 70 yards on 18 attempts. That translates to an average of 3.88 yards per carry, which just doesn’t get it done.
Chargers in Week 14: The ugly
Cameron Dicker’s last kickoff
Cameron Dicker has been one of the best kickers in the league this season, but he committed a costly error toward the end of this game.
After drilling a 37-yard field goal to give the Chargers a 17-16 lead with 4:35 to play, he then kicked off to the Chiefs but his kickoff landed short of the landing zone and based on the league’s new kickoff rules, that gave the Chiefs the ball at their own 40-yard line. That’s not what you want to do when you’re clinging to a lead and you’re playing Patrick Mahomes.
Horrible luck
The Chiefs are 12-1 on the season now but they are also one of the most fortunate teams in recent memory. Things just always seem to bounce their way and that was the case on Sunday night when Matthew Wright’s game-winning field goal from 31 yards doinked off the upright and still went in.
An inch the other way and that kick is missed and the Chargers are celebrating a huge road win. Sometimes luck just isn’t in your favor.
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