Arrowhead Pride
On Sunday, the (6-7) Kansas City Chiefs will take on the division rival (9-4) Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC West showdown on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. The game will kick off at noon Arrowhead Time and will be broadcast on CBS — locally on KCTV5.
This game will be a rematch of the season opener, in which the Chargers won 27-21 in São Paulo, Brazil. Los Angeles has put together a strong season since, and is currently the top Wild Card team in the AFC playoff race. The Chiefs are on the outside looking in, and this season has been a major disappointment for the defending conference champions.
Temperatures at kickoff are expected to be frigid. Since 2010, the Chiefs are 5-3 against the Chargers in December at Arrowhead.
Here are five things to watch:
Last week, left tackle Esa Pole made his NFL debut after Wanya Morris left the game early with a knee injury. Both Morris and right tackle Jawaan Taylor have been declared out for this game, so Pole is slated to start again.
This is a golden opportunity for the undrafted rookie — who turned in a solid performance in his debut — to continue to make a case for a roster spot in 2026. Morris is slated to be a free agent, while Taylor could be a cap casualty. So if he plays well enough, Pole has a chance to compete for a starting job or a shot at being the team’s new swing tackle.
Similar to the Houston Texans, Los Angeles has a solid pass rush featuring veteran outside linebacker Khalil Mack and rising star Tuli Tuipulotu off the edge. But unlike the Texans, the Chargers’ pass rush relies on power, which will give Pole a new set of obstacles to overcome. If he turns in another solid performance, it will be worth keeping him on the field through the end of the season.
Third downs will be critical this week. Los Angeles’ offense converts at a 47% rate, the third-highest in the NFL, while the Chiefs rank 13th at 40%. Defensively, the Chargers allow the fourth-lowest percentage of third-down conversions (34%), while Kansas City ranks 26th at 43%.
The Chiefs’ struggles to defend third down were apparent last week. The defense allowed eight conversions over 18 attempts against Houston — and the week prior, nine of 16 third downs against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Chiefs’ issues on third-down defense stem from the inability to create pressure in passing situations. That started in Week 1, when Los Angeles converted seven of 13 third downs.
The Chargers rank second in the NFL in time of possession per game, averaging 32:56 per game. Los Angeles excels at keeping teams off balance on early downs, while setting up manageable third downs where the powerful run game helps move the sticks.
This presents a layered problem for Kansas City’s defense that has been one of the...
