The Chiefs spent Week 3 surviving a scare from the winless Dolphins, but they still walked away with the result they needed. Kansas City moved to 3-0. Across the field of AFC West business, the Chargers took another hit they could not afford, coughing up an early lead against the Bills and falling to 0-3.
That leaves Los Angeles in a hole that already looks ugly. The Chargers did show some life early against Buffalo, and for a while they looked like a different team than the one that stumbled out of the gate.
But by the fourth quarter, the old problems were back. The Bills erased the lead, the Chargers lost control of the game, and the comeback turned into another loss.
The start of the season has been brutal for Los Angeles, and the schedule has only made the damage worse. In Week 1, the Chargers entered as heavy favorites against the Cardinals and still lost by 12 points. In Week 2, they were again expected to handle business at home against the Raiders, and again they came up short, losing 26-14 for the second straight week.
That means the Chargers wasted what should have been the softest stretch of their schedule. Instead of banking two wins and settling in, they dropped both games by double digits at home and walked into a far tougher run already behind the eight ball.
Their next stretch includes the Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, and Rams. That’s a rough climb for any team, and even more so for one already sitting at 0-2 before it started.
The Bills game made the situation look even more alarming because Los Angeles forced five turnovers and still couldn’t turn that into a win. That kind of outcome only sharpens the questions around Justin Herbert, who has thrown 4 interceptions in 3 games and has not looked like the quarterback the Chargers need him to be.
With Mike McDaniel in place as offensive coordinator, the expectation was that Herbert would keep growing. Instead, the first three weeks have brought the opposite.
For Kansas City, the division picture is already tilting their way. The Chiefs now hold a three-game lead over the Chargers, and the two teams meet in Week 6, right after Kansas City’s bye.
That matters, especially with Andy Reid’s reputation coming out of the break. If the Chargers keep sliding and arrive there still looking lost, the Chiefs could put the division in an even tighter grip.
Of course, the games still have to be played. The Chargers could always flip the script and win a few they’re not supposed to.
But after the first three weeks, that feels like a stretch. And for Chiefs fans, that’s exactly the kind of development they were hoping to see.
In Other News...
Former Chiefs LB Leo Chenal In Frightening Injury Situation
Former Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal was involved in a frightening scene during Washingtons Week 3 game against the Seahawks, leaving the field on a stretcher after suffering a neck injury. The Commanders later said Chenal had feeling in his extremities, and he was taken to the hospital for further testing, easing the immediate fear even as the situation remained serious.
Chenal spent four seasons in Kansas City before signing a three-year deal with Washington, making the injury especially unsettling for Chiefs fans who watched him develop into a trusted defender. For now, the main concern is his health, with the full extent of the injury still to be determined as he continues to undergo evaluation. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Broadcast Had An Awkward Taylor Swift Moment Sunday
Taylor Swift was a notable absence from Sundays Chiefs-Dolphins game, and the reason had nothing to do with Kansas City. She was in Los Angeles for the MTV Video Music Awards, where she debuted her Agent Zero video, while Travis Kelce was back on the field for the Chiefs and found the end zone.
CBS, however, briefly seemed to expect Swift in the building anyway. During the broadcast, the crew mistakenly searched for her at the stadium, a reminder of just how closely she has been tied to Chiefs telecasts even when she is nowhere near the game. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Face A Tough Justin Fields Decision As Trade Buzz Builds
The quarterback market has started to stir after Jaxson Darts season-ending injury left the Giants searching for answers, and one name suddenly entering the conversation is Justin Fields. ESPNs Adam Schefter mentioned the Chiefs quarterback as a possible trade target, which is enough to put a familiar Kansas City topic back into the spotlight: what happens if another team comes calling for a passer who still carries intrigue, but also plenty of questions?
For the Chiefs, it is the kind of rumor that is easy to note and hard to imagine actually happening. Fields past performance has kept him on the radar, but Kansas City also has to weigh its own quarterback room and the reality of how difficult a deal like this would be to pull off. The Giants may still look elsewhere or simply ride with Jameis Winston for now, which leaves the whole idea hanging in that uncomfortable space between speculation and actual movement. [Read more 🡒]