Chargers vs. Chiefs: Can Philip Rivers Rebound Big on Monday Night?

Philip Rivers entered the season as one of the NFL's elite quarterbacks, but through six games the 29-year-old has been pedestrian at best. On Monday night he will try and rebound and carry his San Diego Chargers team to its first big win of the season.

The Chargers are currently 4-2 but boast wins over teams with a combined record of 7-21. Rivers' numbers this season don't look good. He has completed 141-of-218 passes (64.7 percent) for 1,715 yards, with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions. While several of those interceptions have been tipped or gone through the hands of his receivers, his quarterback rating of 82.3 is still terrible for a guy of his considerable ability.

Part of the problem for Rivers has been the absence of his top target, tight end Antonio Gates. Gates has played in just three games this season, and in one of those he failed to catch a pass. The 31-year-old has battled a nagging foot injury all year and may not be 100 percent at all this season. That's a huge blow for a Chargers team that has struggled to get touchdowns in the red zone, since Gates is the team's top target in that area of the field.

Along with Gates being sidelined, Rivers has also had to deal with top wide receiver Vincent Jackson suffering through hamstring problems, No. 2 wideout Malcom Floyd dealing with a hip injury and an offensive line that has been beset by bumps and bruises.

Floyd and Jackson should be at or near 100 percent for tonight's game, while left tackle Marcus McNeill will also apparently suit up. All-Pro left guard Kris Dielman will not play however, after suffering a seizure on the team's fight home from New York last Sunday. Dielman sustained a concussion during the Chargers' 27-21 loss to the Jets but had to remain in the game because the team ran out of offensive linemen thanks to other injuries. 

Running back Mike Tolbert will also miss Monday night's contest with hamstring and hand injuries.

While the loss of Dielman and Tolbert will certainly be blows to the team, Rivers should have most of his weapons available and as healthy as they have been all season. If he doesn't find a way out of his slump against a Kansas City secondary that is missing its best player—Eric Berry, who is out for the year with a torn ACL—then the North Carolina State product may not be able to do it at all this season.

I think Rivers and the Chargers will finally break out tonight and do it in impressive fashion. The Chiefs should not be able to defend such a potent offense without Berry roaming around in the secondary and Rivers, Gates and Jackson will all take advantage.