Five things that stood out in the Kansas City Chiefs’ thrilling win vs. LA Chargers

A Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes meeting had yet to disappoint.

This one didn’t, either.

But Jaylen Watson provided the drama.

It wasn’t Mahomes, wasn’t Herbert, but rather a rookie cornerback — a seventh-rounder, at that — who swung the game in the Chiefs’ favor in a 27-24 win against the visiting Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium.

With the game tied at 17 in the fourth quarter, Watson stepped in front of a pass on the goal line and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown.

And to think — he was only starting Thursday because of an injury to first-round pick Trent McDuffie. Don’t ever listen when someone says picks in the late rounds of an NFL Draft don’t matter.

And because of a seventh-round selection ...

1. The AFC West still runs through KC

For all of the talk — deserved talk, to be clear — about the improved AFC West, the Chiefs just held serve against their top competition.

Despite being outplayed for most of the game.

The Chiefs got by their biggest challenger with, what, their C+ game? Yes, the defense was good, though only for a half really, but the offensive line got torched and Patrick Mahomes threw a handful of passes that should have been intercepted.

They’re certainly capable of a better night. Are the Chargers?

Remember, the Chiefs lost this game a year ago and still won the division by two games — and finished with a three-game cushion on the Chargers.

2. Chargers built their roster for this

We’ve said it for awhile now: When you’ve dominated the AFC West the way the Chiefs have (six straight division titles), teams are going to construct their team around ways to beat you.

For the Chargers, that mean an addition to the secondary but more notably a big-time addition on the edge. Want to double-team or chip Joey Bosa all night? OK, well Khalil Mack now resides on the other side.

The Chargers’ defensive line gave the Chiefs’ offensive line fits all game long. Put it this way: You know it’s not going well when even center Creed Humphrey is getting beat on third-down rushes.

The Chargers’ dominance affected the home team’s play-calling — the Chiefs refused to just run the ball straight up the gut when standing at the 1-yard line.

And despite all of that — the Chiefs still won the game. That’s a statement, and it has to be a deflating point for L.A.

3. Run game will have to be better, and more specifically, this aspect of it

With the way teams are going to defend the Chiefs all year, they’re going to have to run the ball more effectively. That should not be confused for more often.

The opportunity is there — the results are not. Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a 52-yard run to help ice the game, but prior to that play, the Chiefs had not had a carry stretch more than six yards.

Most specifically, they couldn’t execute short yardage. Isiah Pacheco failed to convert a third-and-1 on a rush up the middle, missing a lane that would have moved him past the sticks.

And Chiefs coach Andy Reid just gave up on the proposition in the third quarter, trying a pair of passes and then kicking a field goal from the 1.

It’s a problem.

4. Chiefs’ fourth-down decisions

The Chiefs were the NFL’s most successful fourth-down team in 2021, converting two-thirds of their tries.

But they attempted fewer than any team other than the Seahawks. Part of that is the Chiefs trail less often than the average team and therefore more rarely fall into desperation mode.

But part of is they too frequently decide against it.

Like they did at a critical time Thursday.

Ball resting at the 1-yard-line, down 3, the Chiefs kicked a game-tying field goal to open the fourth quarter rather than trying to get a single yard.

The Chiefs won, but that was despite this decision, not because of it. Because their odds of doing so dropped considerably as a result of the option.

According to Ben Baldwin’s fourth-down bot, the Chiefs had an 8.7% better chance to win the game going for it than kicking the field goal. We can go weeks without finding that heavy of swing in a single decision.

5. Did the Chiefs spook Brandon Staley?

Remember a year ago, when the Chargers fired every fourth down, only to have it bite them in an overtime loss in Los Angeles?

Where did that Brandon Staley go? Too nervous for a repeat?

The Chargers twice decided to kick (once a field goal, twice a punt) instead of going for it on fourth-and-short. All three occasions begged for more aggressive thinking.

When Staley finally elected to go for it — the opening drive of the second half — the Chargers converted, and a potential three points became seven. A one-possession game became two.

Think he’d like to have those initial three opportunities back now?