AFC West showdown
The Chargers and Chiefs square of today in a battle to likely win the AFC West.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chargers and Chiefs understand their showdown at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night will not decide the AFC West, even though they’re tied atop the division with three games to go.
It’s as close as you’ll find to a de facto championship game, though. “It is but it isn’t,” Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. “Certainly it gives you a heck of a better chance of winning it. But if you win this game, it’s not over yet.”
Remember, the Chiefs (7-6) beat the Chargers as part of a 5-0 start, which not only anointed them Super Bowl contenders but the runaway favorites to win the AFC West.
But they proceeded to lose six of their next seven games before a bounce-back win over Oakland, sliding right back to the pack.
The Chargers (7-6), meanwhile, lost their first four games and were nearly written off before stringing together three straight wins. They’re now riding a fourgame win streak that includes a
rout of the Redskins last weekend that kept them tied with the Chiefs atop the division.
“No surprises at all,” first-year Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “We expected to be here in December, playing meaningful football. We earned the right to be in this game.”
Lynn was quick to point out that both teams have changed since they met in late September, and not just in the direction of their seasons.
The Chiefs have made personnel moves — signing veteran cornerback Darrelle Revis — and scheme changes, with coach Andy Reid turning over play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Matt Nagy the past two weeks with great success. The Chargers have become accustomed to a whole bunch of new: coaches, playbooks, even their home after moving from San Diego. And that newfound sense of comfort has been evident the past month.