KANSAS CITY, MO— What started in warm Brazil ended Sunday in the bitter cold at Arrowhead Stadium.
Chargers completed a season win over AFC West bully Kansas City with victory with a score of 16-13 which ultimately knocked the Chiefs out of playoff contention for the first time in 11 years.
It was the third coldest game in Chargers history — 15 degrees to start — and featured a red-hot defense that paved the way for Los Angeles victories over Philadelphia and Kansas City, the final two Super Bowl contenders, in back-to-back weeks.
“This ball team,” said Chargers coach Jim Harbaughjubilant after his team won for the sixth time in seven games. “A real ball team.”
The Chargers' season started with victory 27-21 over executives in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This is only the second time in 13 years that the Chargers have beaten the Chiefs twice in the same season.
Harbaugh began his postgame remarks on a somber note, wishing the Chiefs quarterback well. Patrick Mahomeswho left the game late in the fourth quarter after suffering an undisclosed leg injury when he was hit by defensive lineman Da'Shaun Hand.
Gardner Minshew finished the game at fullback for the Chiefs, and the game ended when Derwin James Jr. intercepted his last pass. There won't be a fantastic ending for a franchise that has won the last nine division titles.
“We've been struggling with these guys for a while now, back in Baltimore,” the Chargers cornerback said. Odafe Oweacquired in a trade with the Ravens this season. “This was long overdue.”
A week after Cameron Dicker made five field goals in a win over Philadelphia, and he made three more against the Chiefs.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes clutched his left leg after suffering an injury in the fourth quarter.
(Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press)
On Sunday, Owe had two Mahomes sacks and Call Tuiplut there were two more. The defense held the Chiefs in a hammerlock, limiting them to 190 yards through the air and just 49 yards on the ground.
However, the Chargers had to dig themselves out of a hole. They faced a 13-3 deficit late in the second quarter before scoring 13 unanswered points.
Justin Herbert threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to rookie KeAndre Lambert-Smith with five seconds left in the first half to start the comeback.
Next was Dicker and the visiting defense.
“I thought it was really cool that we were able to close the game with one score,” Herbert said. “How many times have we played them and it's been one-goal games? The defense has come up with turnovers and stops.”
Kansas City, trailing by three, had a full lead of the visiting 17 early in the fourth quarter, but the Chargers again performed well on defense. Linebacker Diane Henley intercepted a pass on third down near the goal line, gaining position on running back Kareem Hunt and essentially becoming the receiver of the game.
“I was surprised to even see the ball go up in the air, but I had to go back to when I was a receiver and look over my shoulder,” said Henley, who last played as a pass catcher six or seven years ago at the University of Nevada, Reno. “Hand-eye coordination is something you really need in those moments.”
Not everything the Chargers defense did was so smooth. Defensive end Tony Jefferson was ejected in the fourth quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit that knocked Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton out of the game. The call to send Jefferson packing was made not by on-field officials who flagged him for unnecessary roughness, but by league officials watching the game from New York.
Earlier in the second half, Jefferson picked off receiver Rushy Rice with another crushing hit, and Rice followed as the Chargers defensive back walked off the field and toward the locker room. Players from both sides intervened.
Chargers safety Tony Jefferson leaves the field after being ejected against the Chiefs on Sunday.
(Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press)
In response to the crowd booing, Jefferson raised his middle fingers on both hands, a gesture that will likely attract more attention from the league.
“I apologize for that,” he said later. “I'm cooler than that. I was just caught up in the moment. Emotions are running high. I'm not going to sit here and act like I'm the perfect man. I screwed up when I did that.”
The Chargers, who finish the season in Denver, have yet to lose a game in the AFC West this season. They are 5-0 in those games and remain within striking distance of the division-leading Broncos.
It won't be an easy road. The Chargers play at Dallas on Sunday, then host Houston before closing out the regular season against the Broncos.
“I started to think this is my favorite ball team I've ever played for,” Harbaugh said. “Took some good ones. Nothing beats this.”
“They're close. Fates are intertwined. It's selfless. Nothing anyone does is for themselves.”
And on this cold Sunday, it paid unforgettable dividends.
