LOS ANGELES (AP) — The first two meetings between Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert have come down to the final minute.
With playoff positioning up for grabs, the same thing is expected tonight when the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Los Angeles Chargers.
The two-time defending AFC champion Chiefs (9-4) have won six straight since a 3-4 start to vault back into the division lead.
One of those losses was to the Chargers on Sept. 26 when Herbert threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Mike Williams with 32 seconds remaining as Los Angeles rallied for a 30-24 victory.
The Chargers (8-5) come in with wins in two straight games for the first time since October and can move into first place in the AFC West with a victory by virtue of sweeping the season series.
“Our focus isn’t on what’s at stake. It’s on our opponent. We know the challenge that is in front of us and how we need to play this game,” Chargers coach Brandon Staley said.
Kansas City committed four turnovers in the first meeting that led to 21 Los Angeles points, but Mahomes and company have been rolling since overcoming their early season struggles.“I think we could continue to play better and better. You want to keep building as the season goes on,” said Mahomes, who is fifth in the league with 3,642 passing yards.
“I think defense is playing really good right now and the offense is — some games are great and some game just average so for us it’s going to be us going into play a good defense that we’re playing on Thursday and playing our best football.”really good right now and the offense is — some games are great and some game just average so for us it’s going to be us going into play a good defense that we’re playing on Thursday and playing our best football.”While Herbert has six touchdowns and only one interception in wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants, the defense has started to find its footing with eight sacks, six takeaways and forcing seven three-and-out possessions the past two weeks.
“We’re facing a really good Chiefs team on Thursday, so it’s going to take all of us,” said Herbert, fourth in the league in passing yards with 3,822. “As long as we keep building, we keep getting better, I think we can play some pretty good football.”
Herbert’s first NFL start came against the Chiefs on Sept. 20, 2020. He threw for 311 yards and a touchdown, but the Chiefs won 23-20 in overtime on Harrison Butker’s 58-yard field goal.
Herbert is the first player to reach 30 touchdown passes in his first two seasons and has the most completions by a player through his first two seasons (734). With 8,158 passing yards, he needs 39 to surpass Andrew Luck for most in a player’s first two years.
COVID-19 TOLL
Both teams have key players out because of COVID-19.
Chargers OT Rashawn Slater and Chiefs WR Josh Gordon tested positive Monday while Kansas City DT Chris Jones entered league protocols Tuesday. Chiefs LB Willie Gay Jr. was added Wednesday.
Slater, the 13th overall pick in April’s draft, has allowed 17 quarterback pressures according to Pro Football Focus, which is 15th fewest among starting offensive tackles. Trey Pipkins III, who will get the start in Slater’s place, allowed 17 pressures in nine games last season.
