The Kansas City Chiefs will look to get to 3-1 when they take on their division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, who will potentially be without quarterback Justin Herbert. To the surprise of almost no one, most are picking the Chiefs to win the game.
CBS Sports
Pete Prisco: The status of Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert bears watching in this one. If he plays, the Chargers have a chance to win. If he doesn’t, I still think they keep it close. The Chiefs are playing consecutive road games and they haven’t looked as crisp this season. This will be another close one for them.
Pick: Chiefs 23, Chargers 20
Pro Football Talk
Mike Florio and Chris Simms: What has happened this year to make Kansas City an 8-point favorite in this one?
Florio: Chiefs, 24-22.
Simms: Chiefs, 23-20.
Bleacher Report
BR Staff: With a 2-0 start, the Los Angeles Chargers looked like the team to challenge the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.
The Chargers lost 20-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, but the probable loss of multiple players is the bigger story from that game.
Justin Herbert reaggravated a high ankle sprain. Defensive end Joey Bosa (hip) and offensive tackles Joe Alt (MCL sprain) and Rashawn Slater (strained pectoral) suffered injuries. The league upheld safety Derwin James Jr.’s one-game suspension for violating rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.
In their dominant wins, the Chargers beat opponents in the trenches, which will be hard to do against the Chiefs without key offensive and defensive linemen.
Because the Chargers will be short-handed on both sides of the ball, Davenport took the Chiefs to cover an eight-point spread.
“Laying over a touchdown on the road in the NFL is generally not a good idea. But the Chargers are starting to Charger. If quarterback Justin Herbert does play, he’ll be severely limited. Running back J.K. Dobbins came back to earth last week. Edge-rusher Joey Bosa’s hurt. Safety Derwin James is suspended. And while the Chiefs are 3-0, they haven’t had ‘that game’ yet—the one where it all clicks into place.
“Apparently, the sheer force of Jim Harbaugh’s weirdness isn’t enough to overcome the bad juju in Los Angeles—at least not yet.”
Predictions
Davenport: Chiefs
Gagnon: Chiefs
Hanford: Chargers
Knox: Chargers
Michelino: Chargers
Moton: Chiefs
O’Donnell: Chiefs
Sobleski: Chargers
ATS Consensus: None
Score Prediction: Chiefs 27, Chargers 17
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