Week 2 kicked off with a divisional game on Thursday Night Football. The Los Angeles Chargers traveled to Missouri to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. Watching quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes never disappoints, and the NFL’s future looks bright with Herbert, Mahomes, and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen leading the charge.
The Chargers kicker Dustin Hopkins made a 31-yard field goal, giving the Chargers a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Herbert found fullback Zander Horvath for the touchdown. Chargers led 10-0, but that did not last long, as the Chiefs responded with a touchdown of their own. Mahomes found running back Jerrick McKinnon for the touchdown, and they trailed the Chargers 10-7.
The Chargers opened up the third quarter with Herbert finding wide receiver Mike Williams for a touchdown. Chargers led 17-7, but on the next possession, Mahomes found wide receiver Justin Watson for the touchdown. It was a back-and-forth game until the end.
The Chiefs started off the fourth quarter with a field goal, tying the game at 17. Then came the turning point for the Chiefs as Herbert and tight end Gerald Everett had a miscommunication which led to a pick-six by the Chiefs defense, giving the team a 24-17 lead over the Chargers. Later in the game, the Chiefs kicked a field goal and led 27-17.
As the Chargers trailed, Herbert completed a pass to Everett, but he got hit hard and potentially injured his ribs.
He was sidelined for just one play and went back into the game. Although he closed out the game, you could tell he was in severe pain.
However, right after that play, Herbert threw a perfect pass to wide receiver DeAndre Carter, which led to Herbert finding wide receiver Joshua Palmer for a touchdown. The Chargers cut the lead down to three and trailed 27-24.
The Chargers attempted an onside kick, but the Chiefs recovered the ball and won 27-24. The Chargers and Chiefs will face off again on November 20 at SoFi Stadium in Week 11.
Stat Leaders
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert – 33 completions on 48 pass attempts, 334 yards thrown, three touchdowns, one interception
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes – 24 completions on 35 pass attempts, 235 yards thrown, two touchdowns
Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams – Eight receptions, 113 yards, one touchdown
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce – Five receptions, 51 yards
Chargers tight end Gerald Everett – Six receptions, 71 yards
Chargers running back Austin Ekeler – 14 rush attempts, 39 rushing yards, nine receptions, 55 receiving yards
Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire – Eight rush attempts, 74 rushing yards, four receptions, 44 receiving yards
On Thursday, I listed my top-10 fantasy football options for each position for Week 2; Herbert, Ekeler, Williams, and Everett surpassed their projected points. You can take a look at the full rankings here.
Following the game, Justin Herbert got X-rays, and he did not speak to the media. According to Dr. David J. Chao, it appears to be a rib cartilage injury, and he expects X-rays to be negative. Head coach Brandon Staley said Herbert is OK, and he does not expect it to be a problem going forward. Staley confirmed Herbert is dealing with an abdominal issue, possibly ribs.