Chargers vs. Chiefs Week 2 matchup preview and current betting lines
Not many Week 2 slates feature a game this good as the Los Angeles Chargers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in a key AFC West battle. This will be the fourth meeting between quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes. Two of the first three went to overtime where the Chiefs won in Los Angeles. The Chargers won a 30-24 game in Arrowhead last season that went down to the wire.
These young quarterbacks are making this the must-see division rivalry in the NFL right now. Both were among the best quarterbacks in Week 1 as they guided their offenses to big days without taking a single sack. Both offenses showcased a wide depth of talent on Sunday. The Chargers had six players with a rushing attempt and nine players catch a pass. The Chiefs were right there with five rushers and nine receivers, becoming the only team to score 40 points in Week 1.
The NFL Week 2 odds still favor the Chiefs as a 4-point favorite in this matchup, but the Chargers showed last year they can win in this building. This should be an exciting game.
Players to watch in the Chargers vs. Chiefs game
Los Angeles Chargers
Khalil Mack: Mack terrorized his former team (Raiders) with 3.0 sacks in his debut with the Chargers. He is exactly the kind of disruptor the Chargers, who don’t rely heavily on the blitz, will need to slow down Mahomes, who has never taken more than two sacks against the Chargers.
Kansas City Chiefs
JuJu Smith-Schuster: After being misused in Pittsburgh the last few years, Smith-Schuster had a chance to run more than drag routes and looked very useful with six catches for 79 yards in his debut. He did lose a fumble in the game, but he has a great shot to finish as the leading wideout on the Chiefs this season.
Our Best NFL Bets for the Chargers vs. Chiefs game
We have two NFL Week 2 predictions we really like for this game as the rivals battle for the early lead in the division.
Chargers vs. Chiefs Point Spread Pick: Chiefs -4 (-105)
The Chargers vs. Chiefs spread opened with the Chiefs as a 3.5-point home favorite. It is climbing with depressing injury news for the Chargers, who already saw new star corner J.C. Jackson miss Week 1 with an injury.
Jackson could return in time for Thursday night, but the team may likely be without star receiver Keenan Allen, who injured his hamstring against the Raiders in the second quarter and left after a dominant start with 66 yards. This would leave Mike Williams as the main target, and he only had two catches for 10 yards in a quiet game on Sunday. Williams had 122 yards and two touchdowns in Kansas City last season.
With the road team continuing to win the games in this rivalry, look for that to change this year. The Chiefs should win this game at home on a short week with the Chargers seeing some of their best players banged up. September Mahomes is just next level, and the Chargers blitzed way too often the last time they met. That is a big mistake against Mahomes, who is 11-1 against teams who blitz him at least a dozen times in a game. That record includes the Chargers, who sent 18 blitzes in last year’s 34-28 overtime loss.
Let the Chargers regroup and learn from this one and they can take the rematch at home in Week 11 after getting more game film on how the Chiefs are incorporating these new weapons in the post-Tyreek Hill era. But as long as Herbert is dealing, the Chargers have a chance in this one. Just think the Chargers vs. Chiefs odds are stacked in favor of the home team, so our pick is the Chiefs to cover this time.
Be sure to check our NFL picks page for more betting information.
bet on NFL with betmgmChargers vs. Chiefs Total: Under 54.5 (-105)
Both teams could be incredible on offense, but on a short week in a key division game, there might be more defense than expected. Four of the last five Mahomes-Chargers matchups finished under 54.5 points, and it would have been all five if the Chargers got one last stop in Week 15 last season to win 28-21 in regulation.
We just saw the Chargers play a 24-19 game with the Raiders despite high expectations for more points. The Chargers’ improved defense stepped up and never allowed the game to get into a shootout.
While the Chiefs did not lack anywhere in offensive efficiency without Hill in Week 1, the Chargers have been a tougher foe over the years for Mahomes. With the Chiefs perhaps moving towards more ball-control drives and fewer bombs down the field, that could shrink the possessions and limit the scoring in this game. The same goes for Herbert’s high rate of completions keeping the clock moving.
These offenses should show us some special things again, but this feels like a matchup that can be contained to 30-24, hitting the under while still being the NFL bet of the week to be Week 2’s most memorable game.
Bet on NFL with caesars >Frequently asked questions about the Los Angeles vs. Kansas City game in week 2
The game is being played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
The game will be available to stream on Amazon Prime as part of a new Thursday Night Football broadcast.
In the Mahomes era since 2018, the Chiefs are 20-4 SU and 13-10-1 ATS in division games. But three of the four losses have been to the Chargers.
The Chargers have not started a season 2-0 since the 2012 season. In each of the last three seasons, the Chargers won the opener before losing in Week 2.
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