Can Chargers be a real threat to Chiefs in AFC West?

With their win over the Las Vegas Raiders, did the Los Angeles Chargers prove that they are a legitimate threat to the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West?

The Los Angeles Chargers pulled off what many considered an upset win last week over their division rival and the reigning AFC Conference champion Kansas City Chiefs. With that, the Chargers were 2-1 on the season, and had the chance to further show that they are the real deal on Monday night against the undefeated Las Vegas Raiders.

Sure enough the Chargers did just that, as they defeated the rival Raiders 28-14 at home. Los Angeles are now in first place in the AFC West.

They showed the NFL that they indeed have what it takes to be a threat to the Chiefs this season.

Chargers prove they are real deal with huge Week 4 win over Raiders

Last week, the Chargers showed that their offense can indeed match the Chiefs’ squad consisting of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill. That was evident after quarterback Justin Herbert completed 26-of-38 pass attempts for 281 yards and four touchdowns, one of which came on a four-yard pass to wide receiver Mike Williams with a little over 30-seconds remaining in regulation to win the game.

On Monday night, Herbert threw for 222 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions while completing 25-of-38 of his passes.

But when it comes to the edge over Kansas City, Los Angeles has one in their defense. The Chiefs squad has little to no pass rush whatsoever thus far this season, leading to opposing offenses picking them apart. The Philadelphia Eagles managed to score 30 points and accumulate 461 yards of total offense against Kansas City. That speaks volumes of how poorly Kansas City’s defense has been in 2021.

As for the Chargers, they do have a pass rush, led by defensive end Joey Bosa. On Monday night, Los Angeles sacked quarterback Derek Carr four times, including one from Bosa, which was the 50th of his career.

Sure, the defense did surrender 14 points to the Raiders in the second half, but give credit where credit is due, Las Vegas’ offense is explosive and dangerous. Yet, the Chargers ended any comeback attempts after safety Derwin James intercepted Carr late in the fourth quarter while up 28-14.

If the first four weeks of the NFL season has shown us anything, it is that the Chargers are going to be a fun team to watch for years to come. That, and they have the chance to win their first AFC West title since 2009. They can bolster those odds if they beat the Chiefs for the second time this season.