November 19, 2022
By Fred Liggett
sports@lstribune08.net
The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are set to meet again in what has become a prime time series. The Chiefs and Chargers, two longtime AFC West Division rivals, have been playing against each other since 1960. This season each meeting has turned into a prime time event. The Chiefs 2022 home opener on Thursday Sept. 15 helped kickoff Amazon Prime’s coverage of the NFL. Now its NBC’s turn to showcase this rivalry on Sunday Night Football in America.
While the Chiefs and Chargers have been playing for over 60 years the most recent editions of the rivalry have been so good that prime time is the setting for their games. Originally this week’s game was set for a 3:25 p.m. kickoff but the game was flexed into the Sunday night time slot so NBC could showcase the rematch of what was an entertaining first meeting in 2022.
Back on September 15 it was a Chiefs come from behind win that got the country watching intently till the last snap of the game. The Chiefs won 27-24 and the biggest play in the game came from Chiefs rookie CB Jaylen Watson who made his first career interception and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown.
This week 11 meeting finds the Chiefs in a customary spot in first place of the AFC West Division at 7-2. The Chargers enter this home game at 5-4 and in second place in the division. The Chiefs wish to widen their lead in the division in an effort to win a record seventh straight division title. Meanwhile the Chargers hope to close the gap and enhance their own playoff chances in the process.
A key to the outcome of this version of the rivalry may depend largely on who ends up playing wide receiver for either team. The Chargers are hoping to see the return of starters Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. The Chiefs began practice this week without JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Mecole Hardman due to various injuries. The health of these five players will be something to keep an eye on before the first snap of the game.
These two teams know each other well having met 125 times. Under Head Coach Andy Reid the Chiefs are 8-1 on the road vs the Chargers. Even a move to their expensive new home, SoFi Stadium, the Chargers have had a tough time in reversing the trend. Expect a typical AFC West Division slugfest but in the end the Chiefs win a close one on the road. That’s What I REID Into It for this week.
