Chiefs charge to AFC West title, No. 2 playoff seed

Hill’s club-record punt return of 95 yards ices Kansas City’s victory.

SAN DIEGO — It has taken six years, plenty of heartbreak and lots of growth since coach Andy Reid’s arrival in Kansas City. But the Chiefs finally won the AFC West again.

Turns out it took a convincing 37-27 win over the San Diego Chargers, not to mention the Oakland Raiders’ surprising loss to the Denver Broncos — which was played at the exact same time.

So, the Chiefs (12-4) had the benefit of going into the game blind, knowing they needed to focus on playing well and nothing else. And for the most part, that’s what happened as the Chiefs improved to 12-4 before an announced crowd of 54,915 at Qualcomm Stadium and finished the regular season with a 6-0 mark in the division.

Both teams opened the game with field goals, though the Chiefs’ first offensive drive was interesting because they went 53 yards without tight end Travis Kelce, who spent the entirety of their 10-play, game-opening scoring drive on the sideline. A team spokesman declined to comment about Kelce’s absence.

Kelce returned on the Chiefs’ next drive and played a key role. After the Chargers took a 10-3 lead with a touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to Antonio Gates, quarterback Alex Smith scored on a 5-yard run, courtesy of a block thrown by Kelce on a zone read.

The Chiefs are among the league leaders in takeaways, and their opportunistic defense laid the groundwork for their next score. Cornerback Marcus Peters jumped a Rivers pass for his first pick in more than two months, and a few plays later, Reid dialed up a nice play-action boot that led to Smith tossing a 4-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Charcandrick West.

The Chargers’ next drive, which advanced to the Chiefs’ red zone, was thwarted when safety Daniel Sorensen — who pressured Rivers on the play that led to Peters’ interception — sprinted over the top of the defense and hauled in an end-zone interception. The Chiefs’ ensuing drive ended with a Santos field goal, and the Chiefs took a 20-10 lead into the break.

Tyreek Hill essentially finished off the Chargers (5-11) when he fielded a punt and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown to give the Chiefs a 17-point lead. It is the longest punt return in club history and was Hill’s 12th touchdown, tying Abner Haynes’ 56-year-old club rookie record.