IT'S TIME! CHIEFS AT CHARGERS ( MUST WIN?)

                                                    "THE STATEMENT GAME!"

  When the schedule was first released in April, all the Chargers fans circled week one vs the Chiefs. The Chiefs have controlled the Chargers the past few seasons. They didn't just beat the Chargers but had some of the Chargers posting season-low numbers. If the Chargers ever played in a "Statement game" this is it!!!

   Andy Reid is going to be a Hall of Fame coach when he retires. He has coached in 304 games and won 183 of them. He has only had 3 losing seasons in 20 years as a head coach. He has been to the playoffs 13 out of 20 seasons. Philip Rivers has 4 seasons that led to the playoffs. Only Belichick currently has won more games than Andy Reid.

                                                     ANDY REID VS THE CHARGERS
   He has been a thorn in Philip Rivers side since joining the Chiefs. He is 8-2 vs the Chargers. If Philip Rivers is Superman then Andy Reid is his Kryptonite. The numbers are daunting...

   Reid has beaten the Chargers 8 straight times outscoring the Chargers 281 to 178. That is an average of over 10 points per game. It didn't matter if the games were in San Diego, Carson or Kansas City.

   Reid has owned the Rivers-led Chargers.
   Rivers has a QB percentage of 60.0% vs Reid.
   Rivers has 12 TD and 14 INT with a QB rating of 76.3%.
   Rivers has completed 216 of his 360 attempted throws against the Chiefs.

   To get where the Chargers want to go, they have to go through the Chiefs to get there. The time is now!!! ( John Cena voice). KC has redeveloped their roster this offseason. Marcus Peters and his 4 INT vs Rivers has left the confines of Arrowhead Stadium. Alex Smith and his managing the game style has been replaced by 2nd year QB Patrick Mahomes. It had been 34 years since the Chiefs drafted a QB in round one until last year when they choose Mahomes. Mahomes will be the future in Kansas City

     Recently Andy Reid compared Patrick Mahomes to HOF Brett Favre. Mahomes will have a learning curve before he can be considered one of the top 10 QBs in the NFL. Luckily, the Chargers get him early at home. He will see a different QB when they meet again in KC later this year.

                                                   PRESEASON HYPE
    The Chargers have a different group of personnel since 2013 when Reid took over in KC. This year they are considered among the Patriots and Steelers as the teams to beat in the AFC. This is NOT a must win game. This is a "Statement Game" by every definition of the word!!

    Beat your arch rival and go into Buffalo week 2 up 1-0. The Chargers are simply better than Buffalo so a win there should be a given. Week 3 vs the Rams won't be so easy. The Chargers can't afford to go 1-4 like they have the last 5 week 1 of the NFL season.

    A "Statement Game" means you don't just talk like the big boys but you back in up on the field. The Chargers have proven they can run their mouths (aka 2006 season). Only to get a fistful of shut-up juice at home in the Playoffs by the Patriots and Jets. The team attitude has to change.

                  INSTEAD OF BEING THE HUNTED BECOME THE HUNTER

     Do you want to be Floyd Mayweather or Mike Tyson? Floyd will talk a lot of shit and let you hang around. Spending an enormous amount of time dancing and prolonging the contest.

    The Chargers need to play the role of Mike Tyson. Walk in the ring quietly, knock the fucker out, get paid and go home. Nothing but a business attitude. I know fans like the posing in the endzone by the defense. Seriously though those poses were during a 9-7 season and no playoffs. Walk the walk before you start talking the talk.

    The good thing is this team is equipped at least to be the best Charger team ever. But before they go buying Super Bowl Airfare let's give them some humble pie.

   The 2017 Chargers went 9-7. Some fans would say a kicker cost them all those games. That is a totally false assumption.

   The Chargers started out 0-4 to start the season. They did win 3 in a row after that. The three teams were the Giants, Raiders and Broncos. Combined they had a 14-34 record. After those three the Chargers lost 2 in a row.

    The Chargers beat up on a very poorly prepared rookie Nathan Peterman who kindly gave them 5 INT.

    They were 13.5 favorites over the Browns but squeaked out a win 19-10.

                                                         HUMBLE PIE

     They didn't beat the 1992 Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving but a Cowboys team that had been outscored 64-16 in the 2 games they played prior to the Chargers.

     This is a very good Charger team but they can't get caught up in all the hype. They have to block those thoughts out of their head and play fundamentally sound football. The Chiefs offense is probably the best in the AFC West. They are in transition but they possess the coach to guide them through it with success and developing the young ones as they go. Mahomes has Sammy Watkins, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt providing plenty of weapons for this offense. They will have no problems scoring points. That being said, can a newly constructed defense without Marcus Peters, Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson keep their end of the deal. My guess is the Chiefs will start out slowly and finish fast. I got them with a 9-7 record. The Chiefs this Sunday will be vastly different than the ones they'll meet at Arrowhead later in the schedule.

   Win the games you're supposed to win. This game could pivot the team with the confidence and swagger they need to beat the Steelers, Patriots and Jaguars who could come in the postseason later on. Gates will be doubtful this Sunday and if he does play it will be limited at best. Forest Lamp I'm sure won't start but will play more of a depth role this week. Bosa and Ingram didn't get much work in the preseason so they will have to adjust to the game speed quickly.

   Dan Fouts gets the call on CBS and don't forget the Chargers debut on TV Thursday with Backstage Chargers.

Prediction:
This game will be very close, but I see a 30-24 Chargers Victory.