Chargers vs. Chiefs: Kansas City Has Much to Prove Against Chargers

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Tonight's Monday Night Football matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers has just kicked off, but I figured I'd take a moment to offer some last-minute words of wisdom.

At stake in tonight's matchup is the lead in the AFC West, but the Chiefs are going to be playing for more than just a share of the division lead. Essentially, what they need to prove is that their three-game win streak isn't just a fluke.

There are certainly reasons to believe the Chiefs are overachieving at the moment. They got their first win against the Minnesota Vikings, who were winless at the time. They got their second win against the Indianapolis Colts, who are still winless. Their third and most recent victory came against an Oakland Raiders team that basically didn't have a starting quarterback. That reality manifested itself in six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

Put simply, these were teams the Chiefs were supposed to beat. That they beat them is certainly surprising given how poorly the Chiefs started the season, but these three wins are not necessarily an indication that the Chiefs are here to stay in the AFC West.

If the Chiefs want to prove that, they need to beat the Chargers. That simple.

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The Chargers have their own issues, mind you. They have as much talent as any team in the league, but they've had to deal with injuries to key players and some early ineffectiveness from Philip Rivers. They're 4-2, but they too have much to prove.

That said, the Chargers do seem like the best team in the division when you look at them on paper. They merely have to put it all together in order to succeed, whereas the Chiefs pretty much need everything to go according to plan given their assorted weaknesses.

If the Chargers continue to struggle, it's going to be much easier for the Chiefs to stick around in the division. However, they're not going to be as lucky as they were in 2010, when they capitalized on a weak schedule and a weak AFC West. This year, they're going to have to earn whatever they get.

That starts tonight. We'll see just how good these Chiefs are.