The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Los Angeles Chargers in a consequential Week 7 matchup that will have serious implications for both teams. While the Chiefs hold the best record in the AFC, Los Angeles hasn’t gotten off to a particularly fast start and needs a win in this game to keep their hopes of postseason contention alive.
Victories don’t come easy in the NFL, and divisional matchups of this magnitude are always hard-fought battles between teams that know each other well. Kansas City’s fans shouldn’t write off the Chargers’ ability to punch above their weight with Justin Herbert under center and may be surprised by the firepower that Los Angeles hosts on both sides of the ball.
We sat down with Gavino Borquez, managing editor of Chargers Wire, to preview this game, and get some insight about what Los Angeles is bringing to the table in 2023.
Check out some of his answers to our questions below:
Has Justin Herbert progressed or regressed to this point in the 2023 season?
You look at Justin Herbert’s stat line of 1,333 passing yards, nine touchdowns to just interceptions, and a completion percentage of 68.7, and you can say that he’s having a great season, but the numbers don’t tell the full story. Herbert has had a decent season, but nowhere near the campaign many people thought he would have with Kellen Moore overseeing the offense. Herbert has had more opportunities to push the ball downfield, something he couldn’t do under former offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. Still, Herbert has had some uneven games, with his most recent coming last Monday against the Cowboys. While he has made some eye-popping throws, Herbert has not seen the field well and is not anticipating as well as in previous seasons.
I haven’t heard much about Quentin Johnston, has he had much of an impact on the Chargers offense?
The start of Johnston’s pro career hasn’t gone exactly as fans anticipated, given the draft capital invested in him. But they have to remember that Johnston was a raw prospect coming out of TCU and he went into a deep wide receiver room. With Mike Williams out for the season, the thought was that Johnston would have a more prominent role, but you can see that he and Justin Herbert are still trying to build chemistry on the field. Eventually, Moore will draw up plays for Johnston to do what he does best by being a threat after the catch with his size and explosiveness.
How secure or unsecure is Brandon Staley’s job at this juncture? Will LA look to go a different direction in 2024?
As much as Chargers fans want change at the head coach position, I can’t see them firing Brandon Staley, even if they don’t make the playoffs. Staley has one more year on his contract and given the ownership, they’re more prone to letting that end before going out and bringing in a big name like Jim Harbaugh.
What is the Chargers’ fatal flaw this season? What are they doing better in 2023 than last season?
The Chargers have struggled to run the football. After amassing 233 yards on the ground in Week 1, Los Angeles has failed to efficiently pound the rock. They didn’t have Austin Ekeler for four consecutive games due to an ankle injury. They are missing their starting center, Corey Linsley. They aren’t getting any blocking production out of their tight ends. One thing that L.A. is doing really well is rushing the passer. They’re up to 21 sacks, which is the second-most in the league. Khalil Mack had a six-sack performance against the Raiders. Rookie Tuli Tuipulotu has played well beyond his years.
Is there any good/great barbecue in SoCal?
Nothing will beat the Kansas City barbeque that I had for the first time when I went to cover the draft. But as far as some good BBQ spots in Los Angeles, I’d say Moo’s Craft and Max City BBQ.
