Chargers vs. Chiefs: Winner of Monday Night Football Will Win AFC West

No pressure, but the AFC West may very well be decided tonight.

The 4-2 first-place San Diego Chargers travel to Arrowhead where the rejuvenated Kansas City Chiefs reside.

Last year it was on Monday Night Football that changed the fortunes of the AFC West when the Chiefs upset the Chargers in Week 1—San Diego never recovered. The Chiefs went on to cruise to a division title.

This year the Chargers already defeated the Chiefs at home by a 20-17 final, registering their seventh win in the past eight meetings. If they win tonight, they essentially will have a three-game lead in the division when you factor in the tiebreaker.

Philip Rivers has struggled early on. He has only thrown for a mere seven TDs while tossing nine interceptions—four fewer than he had all of last season.

His poor play has been puzzling considering he has a healthy Vincent Jackson. Sure, Antonio Gates hasn’t been reliable, but his lack of accuracy has been incredibly frustrating for fans and teammates alike. Getting back on track against the Chiefs would go a long way to getting his confidence back.

If the Chiefs pull off the minor upset, they’ll be in a virtual tie at the top, with the Chiefs holding a strong advantage in strength of schedule. They still have games against the Dolphins, Broncos (x2), and the Raiders. They would be the first team since the 2000 Steelers to lose three in a row to start the season, only to win the next four.

All of the momentum would be leaning in the Chiefs' direction for the remainder of the season.

This is likely going to be a two-team race. The Oakland Raiders had a ton of potential, but losing Jason Campbell is devastating. Carson Palmer doesn’t have the time to get comfortable and properly run the offense. Next year will be their year.

As for the Denver Broncos, well, I think we all know they are much closer to Andrew Luck than to a division title.

So while you watch tonight’s game, remember that it has a lot more meaning than your average Week 8 game. The AFC West title is hanging in the balance.