Chiefs at Chargers - Week 1 - Record: 1-0

The score looked like the one I think we all know we'll have to settle for with this team if we want to win consistently.

38-28.

Yeah, just too many points allowed by the defense.

But a lot of points scored by our offense.

First the bad: the defense. Yes, we all knew it, but it was confirmed today. I know many more Pollyannish Chiefs fans and pundits will say some good things about it, but really. Let's face it.

Our defense backfield stinks. Yes there were some nice plays. Kendall Fuller did okay, Steven Nelson was serviceable, Ron Parker was decent with a nifty interception... but yikes. Orlando Scandrick was miserable, and I just don't know about Eric Murray. I think they'd mentioned Armani Watts a couple times but I don't know how much he was in there. Sure enough, Eric Berry needs extra, extra time to recover from a heel injury, and he wasn't out there as everyone said he'd be.

But the truth is what is out there on the field, and believe me this game should've been much closer, or even a Chargers win because of that D-backfield. It's just we got tons of relief from a half-dozen easily catchable dropped balls by Chargers receivers. There were a few that were money in the end zone, easy Charger touchdowns, just dropped. Their receivers, whoever they were -- the Chargers threw to their backs all the time -- were just wide-open and in space over and over and over again.

But really, isn't that the 2018 Chiefs? Really, get used to it.

It seemed our defensive front did okay, being in Philip Rivers' face all day. You'd think that pressure would be good -- Dee Ford had a sack and was close on a number of other occasions. But dang Rivers is just so good, releasing balls just before getting hammered and hitting the target almost every single time.

Our offense?

Tyreek Hill.

There you go. He was it. No one else was seen from -- Travis Kelce was invisible, Sammy Watkins actually had a couple of nice grabs but nothing more. Our run blocking was not great as Kareem Hunt went nowhere.

But you've got to give credit to Patrick Mahomes -- the announcers said he likes "Patrick" because his dad is "Pat" -- because his skill was definitely showcased today. His rocket pass to Hill on that deep slant for their second touchdown was a thing of beauty. Mahomes did fine directing the offense and "matriculating" the ball down the field, on the whole he really did well.

Thing is, Mahomes did not do so well with some little things that more experienced quarterbacks do, like making quick plays at the end of the first half just to get into field goal range. With three minutes left and up by ten points, he missed an open single-covered Kelce on a 3rd down that may have gotten them the key 1st down but would've at least would have kept the clock running making it harder for Los Angeles to try to come back. Really, for those strategic instances he's got to use people like Kelce more.

But Hill's explosiveness was just astounding. His explosiveness along with his feel for the ball and for the game is just phenomenal.

A final shout out to Andy Reid for doing all those splendidly dipsy-doo things he does with the offense. You've got to hand it to Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs offense, they did marvelously with it. Mahomes even threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to... Anthony Sherman! Only one thing, just one thing -- what's with Mahomes running all the time? I like the twist-a-roo option stuff with all that but, please, very scary!

Oh, and one more final shout-out to the fans. It was a sea of red out there at the Chargers stadium! A couple of moments in the game featured the Chargers offense on the field facing a 3rd down and the fans were really loud! How crazy was that!

Up next we go to Pittsburgh where we have lost, what, I think 57 straight games by a combined score of, what, 32-2?

Well, for this week we can enjoy a win under our belts and Mahomes in the film room keeping his game going and going and going.
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