How did we get here? Game 10: LA Chargers. The battle for the AFC West continues, without the Raiders or Broncos

Because I am just a drag on society (retired. Mostly anyway) and have some time on my hands, I am going to try to re-watch the season. Yes, even the ones we lost. So take a trip back with me, and let’s remind ourselves of how we got to the SB in a “retooling” year.

These aren’t meant to be in-depth or a play by play, position breakdown. Just a quick reminder of the games past. Don’t come at me if I can’t get to all of them.

Game 10: LA Chargers  @ LA

This is a game that could go a long way in deciding the AFC West. The Raiders and Broncos at this point are no longer seriously involved. 

The Chiefs lose the toss, and get the opening kickoff. They start out with a few runs. Pacheco gets 15 on one, CEH 6 on another. It’s a solid start, but it bogs down, and they settle for an FG, to grab the early lead.

The Chargers open up their drive with 17 yards to Keenan Allen, 51 to Palmer, and 3 plays later, they take the lead, 7-3.

Not to be outdone, the Chiefs open their next drive with a 27 yard completion to Kelce. Skyy Moore and CEH pick up a couple of first downs, but again the drive stalls, and Butker connects to pull within one.

Another good drive by the Chargers gets dragged to a halt when Herbert suddenly can’t connect with anyone, and they settle for a 52yd FG, and it’s 10-6, Chargers.

The back and forth, nobody punting, continued with the Chiefs’ next drive. Pacheco rips off a good run that is erased by an Illegal Block call on Toney, who unfortunately exits the game hurt. We’re back at the 14, but a 39yd pass to Kelce makes it all alright. An absolute beauty of a pass to Fortson for 40 yards puts the Chiefs at the 4, where Mahomes delivers a swing pass to Kelce, who scores with an homage to both Deion Sanders and LT in his celebrations. Chiefs on top, 13-10.

Then, because everyone on the Offense for both teams is tired of running up and down the field, the teams agree to exchange punts, the Chargers’ forced by a Danna sack.

The next LA drive, and things are back to normal. LA moves the ball to the 3, where Ekeler does what he does and scores on a run up the middle. LA again grabs the lead, and it’s 17-13 LA.

We got flagged for a facemask on the TD, so LA kicks from the 50. Pacheco, instead of letting the ball go out of bounds, fields it at the 7, and we can’t do a thing with it. We again punt. LA takes over at their own 39. A late hit by Bolton keeps the Chargers on the field, and they get to the 2. The Defense finally holds, but Dicker the Kicker is good and that’s 10 unanswered for LA, and a TD lead at halftime.

LA gets the 2nd half kickoff, but a holding pushes them back to the 11. A sack by Danna forces a punt, fielded by…Moore, who does not muff, fumble, or otherwise cause anguish. Pacheco is looking good, and produces three straight big gains. Unfortunately, our third-and-short woes continue, and we are forced to kick another FG, to pull to 20-16.

The Defense holds LA to nada, and they go 3 and out. The Chiefs drives starts not well, at the 14 followed by a sack. Then things improve dramatically. On 3rd and 17, Mahomes hits Watson for 25. Then Moore for 17. Then, who else?, Mr Charger Killer Kelce for a 33yd TD and a 23-20 lead.

It looks like LA is going to answer. They have a good drive going until Allen fumbles deep in KC territory, and the Chiefs recover at their 22. They are also driving well, but McKinnon gives it back with a fumble of his own at the LA 36. Then they get to the 45, Gay sacks Herbert to the 38, but a 46yd completion moves the Chargers to the 16. They finish it with a TD pass to Palmer, who is giving us fits tonight. Chargers up 27-23 with 1:46 left in the game. Need a TD. FG will not work.

Anyone worried? I remember being oddly calm at this point.

18 yards to MVS. 6 yd run by Mahomes. Holding on LA to the LA 46. Skyy Moore continues to shine as a receiver, to the 33. Mahomes run to the 16. Down to 37sec, two timeouts. We don’t need no steenking timeouts! Kelce for TD #3 on the night. Chiefs, 30-27.

Chargers still have 30 sec to work with. Jones makes it difficult with a sack on 1st down. Herbert tries to get a pass downfield, but it is deflected and intercepted by Nick Bolton, and the Chiefs have another AFC West win.

That’s Game, Set, and Division (for the most part). Two more wins will do it, regardless of what anyone else does, and we play the Texans, so really only one more, right?

Chiefs 30-27

Season Record 8-2

Mahomes 2-34 329yds 3TD

Pacheco 13-107

Kelce 6-115 3TD

Bolton 10 Tackles 1 INT

NovaChiefs

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