Chiefs vs. Chargers: Complete Week 7 Preview for San Diego
The San Diego Chargers are off to their longest winning streak since 2009 with five straight victories, and the chance at a sixth comes this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chargers-Chiefs rivalry has been razor close the past two seasons with three of the last four games decided by three points. A postseason bid was on the line for San Diego the last time these two clubs met at Qualcomm Stadium, and in a come-from-behind effort, the Chargers prevailed 27-24 in overtime to witness their first playoff appearance in four years.
Five weeks prior to that encounter, the Chargers edged past the host Chiefs 41-38 on a last-second TD pass by Philip Rivers that shocked Arrowhead Stadium. Based on how the past two meetings have gone, it's safe to say San Diego isn't looking past the Chiefs despite the losing record.
Kansas City hasn't resembled the same team that rattled off nine consecutive wins last season, far from it in fact. But to be fair, the first quarter of the schedule was no cakewalk for the Chiefs as three of their five opponents were playoff teams a year ago (Denver, New England and San Francisco).
Jamaal Charles was limited early this season because of injuries, but the three-time Pro Bowl running back has caught form the last two games for Kansas City and is beginning to look like his old self. The Chiefs have also been graced with the emergence of tight end Travis Kelce, who has caught a TD pass in each of his last three games.
Coming off the bye week, Kansas City should be well rested for its matchup with the Chargers. But can the Chiefs do to San Diego what the last five opponents have failed to do and stop Rivers from lighting up the scoreboard?
Week 7 preview starts now.
Chargers Week 6 Recap
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San Diego eked out a 31-28 win in the Black Hole this past Sunday, stunning Oakland fans when Branden Oliver ran in for the go-ahead score with 1:56 remaining. Rookie corner Jason Verrett sealed the victory with the late pick downfield off Oakland's first-year quarterback David Carr.
Philip Rivers threw three TD passes—the third time he's done so this season—and passed for 313 yards. Rivers also wound up making history in the process, becoming the only quarterback to record a passer rating of 120 or more in five consecutive games.
It was another successful outing for the offense, but the defensive unit was the talk of the day after it struggled to contain the Raiders' last-ranked offense and its rookie quarterback. The 282 passing yards the Chargers gave up to Oakland was the second most they've allowed this season, with 121 of those yards coming from third-year wideout Andre Holmes, who also caught two touchdowns.
Oakland added another 114 yards on the ground with the aging duo of Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew running the ball. It was an all-around poor performance by the San Diego defense but a valuable lesson in not taking lesser opponents lightly.
News and Notes
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Flowers a Potential Scratch for Matchup with Former Team
One of the deal-breakers in Flowers' decision to join the Chargers in the offseason was the chance suit up against his former club not once, but twice this year—an opportunity that may pass him by after suffering a groin injury against the Raiders.
Flowers has been San Diego's most efficient defender in the secondary, and while rookie Jason Verrett managed to come up with the game-saving play against Oakland in Week 6, the Chargers pass defense can't expect to keep sliding by as injuries pile up. According to ESPN's Eric D. Williams, Flowers did not practice Wednesday and Thursday this week, which puts his status in jeopardy for Sunday.
Wright Inching Closer to Return
Speaking of injuries to the secondary, Shareece Wright may be nearing a return back from the MCL sprain he suffered in Week 4, per Williams. Wright, the team's No.2 corner, would be a welcomed addition, especially if Flowers is not able to play. Before his injury, Wright had the third-most tackles on the team (23).
Team Milestones on the Horizon
A trio of Chargers are approaching team milestones this weekend. Branden Oliver, who has rushed for 215 yards the last two games, could become the first Chargers rookie since Don Woods in 1974 to rush for 100 or more yards in three straight games. Nick Novak tied John Carney's team record of 29 consecutive made field goals last week against Oakland and could break the record on Sunday. And last, but finally not least, Antonio Gates is closing in on Lance "Bambi" Alworth's franchise record of 9,584 receiving yards. Gates needs just 90 yards against the Chiefs to eclipse the mark.
Injury Report
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| Name | Position | Injury | Status |
| Seyi Ajirotutu | WR | Hamstring | Questionable |
| Keenan Allen | WR | Quadriceps | Probable |
| Donald Brown | RB | Concussion | Questionable |
| Brandon Flowers | CB | Groin | Questionable |
| Malcom Floyd | WR | Calf | Probable |
| Jarret Johnson | OLB | Back, Ankle | Probable |
| Cordarro Law | OLB | Ankle | Questionable |
| Ryan Mathews | RB | Knee | Questionable |
| Eddie Royal | WR | Elbow | Probable |
| Darrell Stuckey | S | Quadriceps | Probable |
| Manti Te'o | ILB | Foot | Questionable |
| Jason Verrett | CB | Shoulder | Questionable |
| Reggie Walker | LB | Ankle | Probable |
| Shareece Wright | CB | Knee | Probable |
** courtesy of CBS Sports **
The Chargers could see a couple of names return to the lineup this week, most notably Wright, who is coming off an MCL sprain he sustained in Week 4. Having both Flowers and Wright active would be the ideal situation for San Diego, but after missing the previous two days of practice, Flowers' status for Sunday isn't looking all that good. His replacement, Verrett, landed hard on his surgically repaired shoulder this past week but managed to recover and finish the game.
Not represented on this list are Jeremiah Attaochu (hamstring) and Rich Ohrnberger (back), both of whom did not practice on Thursday, though Ohrnberger's absence appears to be a rest day.
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X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
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Travis Kelce versus San Diego Linebackers/Secondary
When the Chiefs took the field against New England in Week 4, it was hard not to draw comparisons between Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski.
Aside from the jersey number, Kelce and Gronkowski showcase some rare athletic ability at the tight end position that makes for some big plays in the passing game. But Kelce was used on more than just deep routes and crossing patterns; against the Patriots, he was used a couple of times as a screen receiver and showed he had the quickness to get upfield and make a few guys miss.
Whether Kelce's matched up with a linebacker or a member of the secondary, the Chargers defense will need key in on the second-year tight end, especially in the red zone. Kelce has three TDs in the last three games and is averaging 13.7 yards a catch.
Jamaal Charles versus San Diego Front Seven
Charles had an additional week to recover coming off the bye and could pose a severe problem to San Diego's front seven. Now that he's gotten back on track, Charles should be viewed as the dangerous TD machine he was last season. Not only can he beat you on the ground, but he's a sneaky good pass-catcher, as evidenced by the two receiving scores he had against New England.
In just one game against San Diego last year, Charles rolled for 115 yards rushing and two TDs on 14 carries. Yikes.
Tamba Hali and Justin Houston versus King Dunlap and D.J. Fluker
Offensively, all San Diego really has to worry about is giving Rivers the time he needs to get off his passes. Hali and Houston have nine sacks between them on the year, and the Chargers offensive line has looked vulnerable the last couple of games. If it's a shootout Kansas City wants, then Rivers can play that card, but he can't be hassled all day long and still be expected to chalk up points in bunches.
X-Factor: San Diego Defense
The Chiefs have a very good running game and a veteran quarterback who doesn't make a whole lot of mistakes (a much different makeup than Oakland). The key to winning on Sunday will come down to the Chargers defense and its ability to rebound from last week's unsavory performance against the Raiders.
Prediction
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The Chargers are favored over the Chiefs by four points, and it's tough to argue that line, considering San Diego's 3-0 record at home. If history tell us anything, it should be a close game on Sunday and may very well come down to the last possession.
As much as I like what the Chiefs have on offense with Charles, Kelce and an experienced signal-caller in Smith, I find it hard to believe that Kansas City has the solution to stopping Rivers. On top of that, the Chargers are starting to find their identity in the running game with Oliver, who is literally trampling defenders right now.
If the Chargers can control time of possession and keep Charles and Smith on the sidelines, I see a sixth straight victory coming for San Diego.
Prediction: Chargers 24, Chiefs 21
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