Chargers vs. Chiefs: Complete Week 17 Preview for San Diego
If Sunday's game between the Chargers and Chiefs is anything like past versions, San Diego fans will be tuning in for yet another nail-biter.
The last three meetings between the division rivals have been decided by three points—two in the final 30 seconds of regulation and one in overtime.
Philip Rivers threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Seyi Ajirotutu with 24 seconds left in last year's trip to Arrowhead Stadium, and about a month later, the Chargers punched their ticket to the postseason with an overtime victory in San Diego, courtesy of a late field goal.
Kansas City avenged the previous two losses with a win at Qualcomm Stadium in Week 7 of this season. Rookie Cairo Santos kicked the go-ahead field goal with 21 seconds remaining, and Kurt Coleman sealed it for the Chiefs with an interception of Rivers on the ensuing drive.
In this year's regular-season finale, the tables have turned in regard to playoff scenarios. The Chiefs need a win and outside help to reach the postseason, while the Chargers merely need a win to be in.
Here's what fans of the Bolts need to know for Sunday.
Chargers Week 16 Recap
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San Diego faced a three-score deficit by halftime of last Saturday's prime-time clash with the San Francisco 49ers, but Rivers and crew dug deep to complete a 21-point comeback at the end of regulation and hold on for the 38-35 victory in overtime.
Rivers, who has been playing with a bulging disk, overcame three interceptions to put up four touchdown passes and 356 yards. Antonio Gates snared two scores, and Eddie Royal led the team in receiving with 10 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown for the Chargers, who went 3-of-3 in the red zone.
Colin Kaepernick threw for a score and ran for two more en route to 151 yards rushing, while Frank Gore netted 158 yards on the ground with two touchdowns for San Francisco. Rookie wideout Bruce Ellington had a receiving score and a rushing touchdown for the 49ers, who had the most rushing yards by a losing team in league history with 355.
San Diego trailed 28-7 at the break, but a short TD pass to Gates near the goal line cut the deficit in half, and Corey Liuget recovered a Kaepernick fumble in the end zone to bring the Chargers within 28-21. San Francisco's only points of the second half came on Kaepernick's 90-yard burst—the second-longest run in team history—which stretched the lead back to two scores.
Rivers and Gates hooked up for a 21-yard scoring play with just over five minutes to play in the fourth quarter, and the Bolts completed gritty comeback with a 14-play, 80-yard scoring drive that was capped by Malcom Floyd's touchdown reception with 29 ticks left in regulation. The Chargers recovered a fumble by Quinton Patton on the first drive of overtime, and Nick Novak kicked the game-winner from 40 yards out to keep San Diego alive in the playoff picture.
News and Notes
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Flowers Hoping for Better Result Against Former Team
For Brandon Flowers, an important upside in signing with the rival Chargers during the offseason was having two bouts against his former club. The ex-Chief was knocked out of the last meeting on Oct. 19 when he and Jamaal Charles collided in the end zone early in the second quarter. Flowers suffered a concussion and sat out the rest of the game; he finished with three tackles.
A better result for Flowers would require a full four quarters from the corner, who leads the team with three interceptions and 10 passes defensed.
Troutman to IR, Sirles Takes Over at RG
The knee injury Johnnie Troutman suffered on Saturday was serious enough to land him on injured reserve for the rest of the year, the team announced this week. In his place, the Chargers plan to start undrafted rookie Jeremiah Sirles at right guard. Sirles, who made 41 career starts at tackle for Nebraska, relieved Troutman in the third quarter and played well the rest of the way for San Diego.
Rivers Playing Through Bulging Disk
A day after Rivers led his team to a heroic comeback against the 49ers, Michael Gehlken of U-T San Diego revealed that the quarterback has been dealing with an injury for the past few weeks, going as far back to the Baltimore game in late November. The bulging disk did not prevent Rivers from making his 143rd consecutive start for San Diego, but the injury may require surgery in the offseason.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury | Tue | Wed |
| Keenan Allen | WR | Shoulder/Ankle | DNP | DNP |
| Corey Liuget | DT | Ankle | FP | FP |
| Ryan Mathews | RB | Ankle | DNP | DNP |
| Philip Rivers | QB | Back | FP | FP |
| Chris Watt | C | Ankle | DNP | DNP |
| Shareece Wright | CB | Concussion | FP | FP |
** FP=Full Practice, DNP=Did Not Practice, courtesy of Chargers.com **
Allen, Mathews and Watt were unable to practice before the team's collective day off for Christmas on Thursday. How head coach Mike McCoy will manage his roster makes for an interesting debate.
In a crucial game, does Allen give the Chargers the best chance of winning coming off a broken collarbone? The same goes for Mathews; is he worth putting out there even if he's vulnerable to another injury?
It's hard to believe that Allen can come back from such a painful injury and still be productive. Dontrelle Inman, who came in at receiver to start the second half of last week's game, had seven catches for 79 yards in his debut and came up with a clutch grab on fourth down during the game-tying drive at the end of regulation. He's no No. 1, but he did enough in my eyes to garner more playing time.
As for Mathews, you'd like him out there to help strengthen the run game; the Chargers had just 69 yards rushing against the Chiefs last time out. But at the same time, you worry if Mathews can play a complete game on a bum ankle that has kept him out the past two weeks.
If Watt can't go on Sunday, Trevor Robinson will become the fifth different starting center for the Chargers this season. He got his feet wet in Baltimore and played a good chunk of the snaps on Saturday.
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X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
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Chargers O-Line vs. Justin Houston and Tamba Hali
Houston, the league leader in sacks with 18, makes up one-half of Kansas City's combative pass-rushing duo that owns 24 of the team's 39 sacks on the year. Houston and Hali had one sack apiece on Rivers in Week 7, and Hali added a forced fumble that the Chiefs were unable to recover. In the past five games, Houston has notched at least one sack.
Given the state of Rivers' back, the O-line needs to be especially cautious in protecting him from big hits that could cause his injury to worsen.
Chargers' Tackling vs. Chiefs' Running Backs
Poor tackling contributed to San Francisco tallying more than 300 yards rushing, and if the Chargers don't shore up their fundamentals, Kansas City could do just as much damage on the ground. Jamaal Charles had 95 yards against San Diego last October, pacing a rushing attack that finished with 154 yards total. Charles had a touchdown run of 16 yards in the effort, dodging and ducking a handful of defenders on the way, and fullback Anthony Sherman took a short screen pass to the house with Kendall Reyes going for a ride.
Wrapping up ball-carriers will be a top concern for John Pagano's unit.
Chargers' Red-Zone Defense vs. Chiefs' Red-Zone Offense
The Pittsburgh Steelers shut out the Chiefs in four trips to the red zone last week, holding Andy Reid's squad to four field goals on the day. The Steelers also limited Charles to 29 yards rushing, his lowest total since Week 2. Pittsburgh's game plan in slowing the Chiefs offense required defensive stands in the red zone and a stout run defense.
San Diego held the Broncos and Patriots to a combined 1-of-7 inside the 20-yard line, but the effort against the run has been spotty.
A Chargers win will require execution of the same game plan that Pittsburgh played to perfection.
Prediction
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After losing control of their own destiny briefly, the Chargers are once again in prime position to solidify their spot in the playoffs. Not having to depend on outside help is a nice change compared to last year, but if San Diego can't get the job done on Sunday, then everything this team endured with injuries and come-from-behind victories will be for naught.
Watching Rivers fight through injuries this season has been uplifting, and for his sake, I hope the team can pull around him and deliver in a must-win game on the road. The Chiefs still have plenty to play for, but I see San Diego escaping in a close one.
Prediction: Chargers 20, Chiefs 17
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