Chiefs vs Chargers: position-group matchup

The biggest mismatch: the Chiefs pass coverage (6th) against the Chargers quarterback play (31st).

On paper

4 games in. Samples are still small, so a rank can move a lot in a week. Ranks are out of 32 teams and 1st is always best, on offense and defense alike.

Chiefs

pairings with the edge

Chargers

pairings with the edge

of 8

On paper, the Chiefs hold the edge across the position groups.

Chiefs big edge
Chiefs pass coverage (6th) against the Chargers quarterback play (31st)
Chiefs big edge
Chiefs pass coverage (6th) against the Chargers receiving corps (28th)

Position group by position group

Each offense against the other team's defense, one position group at a time. Circle: the offense. Diamond: the defense. Whoever sits further right wins that pairing.

Chiefs offense vs Chargers defense

Pass protection vs pass rush
Even
WeakestBest
The Chiefs pass protection ranks 4th. The Chargers pass rush ranks 4th.
The numbers and the players
Chiefs pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback4.3% (8th)
- Pressure allowed per dropback22% (11th)
- Kahlil Benson (T) 100% of snaps
- Creed Humphrey (C) 100% of snaps
- Trey Smith (G) 100% of snaps
- Jaylon Moore (OL) 99% of snaps
- Kingsley Suamataia (OL) 100% of snaps
Chargers pass rush
- Sacks per dropback7.4% (10th)
- Pressure per dropback32% (5th)
- Quarterback hits per dropback19.7% (4th)
- Khalil Mack (LB) 10 pressures, 3 sacks
- Tuli Tuipulotu (LB) 8 pressures, 2 sacks
- Daiyan Henley (LB) 3 pressures, 0.5 sacks
Run game vs run defense
Chiefs big edge
WeakestBest
The Chiefs run game ranks 3rd. The Chargers run defense ranks 18th.
The numbers and the players
Chiefs run game
- Points added per run+0.14 (1st)
- Runs that keep the drive on track49% (3rd)
- Rushing yards after contact2.8 (1st)
- Runs of 10+ yards14.3% (2nd)
- Rushing yards before contact2.7 (10th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line18% (19th)
- Kenneth Walker III (RB) +0.12 per run on 86
- Emmett Johnson (RB) −0.01 per run on 16
- Kahlil Benson (T) 100% of snaps
- Creed Humphrey (C) 100% of snaps
- Trey Smith (G) 100% of snaps
- Jaylon Moore (OL) 99% of snaps
- Kingsley Suamataia (OL) 100% of snaps
Chargers run defense
- Points allowed per run−0.11 (14th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line17% (18th)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed8.8% (14th)
- Missed tackles9.1% (21st)
- Daiyan Henley (LB) 25 tackles, 1 missed
- Del'Shawn Phillips (LB) 23 tackles, 3 missed
Quarterback vs coverage
Even
WeakestBest
The Chiefs quarterback play ranks 13th. The Chargers pass coverage ranks 9th.
Chargers report: Derwin James (S, did not practice, hamstring); Cam Hart (CB, limited in practice, knee)
The numbers and the players
Chiefs quarterback play
- Points added per dropback+0.15 (10th)
- Completions above expected−0.2 (19th)
- Interceptions per throw1.5% (11th)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback7.9% (18th)
- Patrick Mahomes (QB) +0.13 per dropback on 132
Chargers pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw+0.01 (15th)
- Completions allowed above expected+1.1 (16th)
- Interceptions per throw3.4% (4th)
- Cam Hart (CB) 71.6 passer rating allowed on 16 targets
- Derwin James (S) 101.7 passer rating allowed on 11 targets
Receivers vs coverage
Chiefs big edge
WeakestBest
The Chiefs receiving corps ranks 6th. The Chargers pass coverage ranks 22nd.
Chargers report: Derwin James (S, did not practice, hamstring); Cam Hart (CB, limited in practice, knee)
The numbers and the players
Chiefs receiving corps
- Points added per target+0.28 (11th)
- Yards after the catch7.3 (2nd)
- Drops per target5.2% (22nd)
- Tackles broken per catch10.1% (3rd)
- Travis Kelce (TE) +0.74 per target on 22
- Xavier Worthy (WR) −0.15 per target on 21
- Kenneth Walker III (RB) −0.00 per target on 20
Chargers pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed9.8% (23rd)
- Passer rating allowed93.6 (20th)
- Points allowed per throw+0.01 (15th)
- Cam Hart (CB) 71.6 passer rating allowed on 16 targets
- Derwin James (S) 101.7 passer rating allowed on 11 targets

Chargers offense vs Chiefs defense

Pass protection vs pass rush
Chiefs edge
WeakestBest
The Chargers pass protection ranks 30th. The Chiefs pass rush ranks 28th.
Chargers report: Joe Alt (T, did not practice, neck); Kayode Awosika (G, did not practice, fibula); Rashawn Slater (T, did not practice, ankle); Trevor Penning (G, did not practice, concussion)
The numbers and the players
Chargers pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback7.8% (25th)
- Pressure allowed per dropback31% (31st)
- Jake Slaughter (OL) 100% of snaps
- Rashawn Slater (T) 96% of snaps
- Cole Strange (G) 96% of snaps
- Joe Alt (T) 84% of snaps
- Trevor Penning (OL) 68% of snaps
Chiefs pass rush
- Sacks per dropback2.6% (31st)
- Pressure per dropback25% (14th)
- Quarterback hits per dropback12.8% (25th)
- George Karlaftis III (DE) 13 pressures
- R Mason Thomas (DE) 8 pressures, 1 sacks
- Chris Jones (DT) 5 pressures
Run game vs run defense
Even
WeakestBest
The Chargers run game ranks 13th. The Chiefs run defense ranks 8th.
Chargers report: Joe Alt (T, did not practice, neck); Kayode Awosika (G, did not practice, fibula); Rashawn Slater (T, did not practice, ankle); Trevor Penning (G, did not practice, concussion)
The numbers and the players
Chargers run game
- Points added per run−0.20 (27th)
- Runs that keep the drive on track43% (13th)
- Rushing yards after contact2.0 (7th)
- Runs of 10+ yards10.2% (12th)
- Rushing yards before contact2.3 (21st)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line15% (7th)
- Omarion Hampton (RB) −0.21 per run on 59
- Keaton Mitchell (RB) −0.13 per run on 26
- Jake Slaughter (OL) 100% of snaps
- Rashawn Slater (T) 96% of snaps
- Cole Strange (G) 96% of snaps
- Joe Alt (T) 84% of snaps
- Trevor Penning (OL) 68% of snaps
Chiefs run defense
- Points allowed per run−0.12 (11th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line23% (3rd)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed9.6% (16th)
- Missed tackles7.9% (15th)
- Nick Bolton (LB) 37 tackles, 4 missed
- Drue Tranquill (LB) 29 tackles, 1 missed
Quarterback vs coverage
Chiefs big edge
WeakestBest
The Chargers quarterback play ranks 31st. The Chiefs pass coverage ranks 6th.
The numbers and the players
Chargers quarterback play
- Points added per dropback−0.17 (29th)
- Completions above expected−4.9 (29th)
- Interceptions per throw4.7% (30th)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback7.8% (19th)
- Justin Herbert (QB) −0.18 per dropback on 127
Chiefs pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw−0.03 (9th)
- Completions allowed above expected−3.7 (5th)
- Interceptions per throw2.7% (11th)
- L'Jarius Sneed (CB) 108.0 passer rating allowed on 33 targets
- Mansoor Delane (CB) 80.1 passer rating allowed on 18 targets
Receivers vs coverage
Chiefs big edge
WeakestBest
The Chargers receiving corps ranks 28th. The Chiefs pass coverage ranks 6th.
Chargers report: Charlie Kolar (TE, limited in practice, forearm); Quentin Johnston (WR, limited in practice, chest)
The numbers and the players
Chargers receiving corps
- Points added per target−0.04 (31st)
- Yards after the catch5.1 (14th)
- Drops per target6.1% (26th)
- Tackles broken per catch2.9% (26th)
- Tre Harris (WR) +0.28 per target on 21
- Quentin Johnston (WR) −0.11 per target on 18
- Ladd McConkey (WR) +0.63 per target on 17
Chiefs pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed7.0% (12th)
- Passer rating allowed80.3 (4th)
- Points allowed per throw−0.03 (9th)
- L'Jarius Sneed (CB) 108.0 passer rating allowed on 33 targets
- Mansoor Delane (CB) 80.1 passer rating allowed on 18 targets

Tale of the tape

Every unit on its own, side by side.

ChiefsChargers

13th
QuarterbackOffense
31st
8th
Offensive lineOffense
24th
6th
ReceiversOffense
28th
1st
Run gameOffense
13th
28th
Pass rushDefense
4th
8th
Run defenseDefense
18th
6th
Pass coverageDefense
16th

Longer bar is better. Each unit is graded on the stats shown in the pairings above, ranked among all 32 teams.

How these grades are calculated

Each position group is judged on three to five plain stats, listed below. All of them are per play or per throw, never season totals.
Every stat is ranked across all 32 teams, 1st to 32th, the right way round (fewer drops is better, more pressure is better for a pass rush).
A rank becomes a score from 0 to 100, with 1st at 100 and last at 0. The group's grade is the average of its stats' scores.
Teams are ranked by that grade, and that rank is the number on the cards.

For example, the Chargers quarterback is 31st. Its stats rank 29th (points added per dropback), 29th (completions above expected), 30th (interceptions per throw), and 19th (passes of 20+ yards per dropback). Averaged, that is a grade of 17 out of 100, which is 31st among the 32 teams.

This is why a grade can disagree with a total or with another site's rating. A team can rank high in rushing yards because it carries the ball a lot or trails late, and still rank low here because each run adds little. Film grades, like PFF's, come from watching every player on every snap, and these do not. Early in the season a few plays can move a rank a lot.

Quarterback: points added per dropback, completions above expected, interceptions per throw, passes of 20+ yards per dropback
Offensive line: sacks allowed per dropback, pressure allowed per dropback, rushing yards before contact, runs stopped at or behind the line
Receivers: points added per target, yards after the catch, drops per target, tackles broken per catch
Run game: points added per run, runs that keep the drive on track, rushing yards after contact, runs of 10+ yards
Pass rush: sacks per dropback, pressure per dropback, quarterback hits per dropback
Run defense: points allowed per run, runs stopped at or behind the line, runs of 10+ yards allowed, missed tackles
Pass coverage: points allowed per throw, completions allowed above expected, passes of 20+ yards allowed, interceptions per throw, passer rating allowed

The coaches

Records are regular-season games since 1999, against the spread as listed by the games file. A new coach has no history here yet.

Measure	Chiefs	Chargers
Head coach	Andy Reid	Jim Harbaugh
Record as a head coach	283-157-1 in 441 games	66-35-1 in 102 games
With this team	153-64 since 2013	22-16 since 2024
Against the spread, this season	2-2	0-3-1
Against the spread, career	228-203-10	60-39-3
Against the spread as an underdog	73-49-3	14-8-3
Against the spread as a favorite	155-153-7	46-31
Coming off a bye	23-5	3-2-1
Head coach against head coach	2-4 against Jim Harbaugh	4-2 against Andy Reid
Team against team since 1999	31-23	23-31

Last meetings, newest first: Chiefs 13-16 (2025 Wk 15) · Chiefs 21-27 (2025 Wk 1) · Chiefs 19-17 (2024 Wk 14) · Chiefs 17-10 (2024 Wk 4) · Chiefs 13-12 (2023 Wk 18)

How each team plays

Not good or bad, just the style. Ranks go from the highest rate down, so a 1st means the most of it in the league.

How the offenses like to play

Pass rate over expected
Chiefs +2.2 pts (7th highest) — throws more than the situation calls for
Chargers −9.9 pts (31st highest) — runs more than the situation calls for
Play-action share of dropbacks
Chiefs 37% (1st highest) — leans on play-action
Chargers 27% (10th highest)
Plays with pre-snap motion
Chiefs 59% (14th highest)
Chargers 73% (3rd highest) — moves players before almost every snap
No-huddle plays
Chiefs 0% (32nd highest) — huddles up
Chargers 5% (19th highest)
Plays from the shotgun
Chiefs 59% (17th highest)
Chargers 69% (6th highest) — lives in the shotgun

How the defenses like to play

Blitz rate
Chiefs 28% (19th highest)
Chargers 27% (21st highest)
Pass rushers sent
Chiefs 4.4 (15th highest)
Chargers 4.3 (18th highest)
Runs against a loaded box (8+)
Chiefs 0% (32nd highest) — stays light in the box
Chargers 9% (16th highest)

Who is missing

Each team's latest injury report, with how every player practiced this week. A starter averaged more than half the team's snaps in the games he played.

Chiefs

Week 4 report · last changed Fri, Oct 9, 7:24 PM ET

Josh Simmons TOut · back · offensive line
Did not practice this week
Practice week: Fri DNP (out)

Full practice: Chamarri Conner (S, knee); Chris Jones (DT, calf); L'Jarius Sneed (CB, knee); Patrick Mahomes (QB, knee); Rashee Rice (WR, knee); Ashton Gillotte (DE, knee); Christian Roland-Wallace (CB, shoulder); Felix Anudike-Uzomah (DE, quadricep); Jack Cochrane (LB, calf); Jadon Canady (CB, knee)

Chargers

Week 5 report · last changed Fri, Oct 9, 7:24 PM ET

Derwin James SStarterDid not practice · hamstring · pass coverage
Practice week: Fri DNP
Joe Alt TStarterDid not practice · neck · offensive line
Practice week: Fri DNP
Kayode Awosika GStarterDid not practice · fibula · offensive line
Practice week: Fri DNP
Rashawn Slater TStarterDid not practice · ankle · offensive line
Practice week: Fri DNP
Trevor Penning GStarterDid not practice · concussion · offensive line
Practice week: Fri DNP
Brenen Thompson WRDid not practice · quadricep · receivers
Practice week: Fri DNP
Donte Jackson CBDid not practice · hamstring · pass coverage
Practice week: Fri DNP
Ladd McConkey WRDid not practice · foot · receivers
Practice week: Fri DNP
Cam Hart CBStarterLimited in practice · knee · pass coverage
Practice week: Fri Limited
Charlie Kolar TEStarterLimited in practice · forearm · receivers
Practice week: Fri Limited
Quentin Johnston WRStarterLimited in practice · chest · receivers
Practice week: Fri Limited
Alec Ingold FBLimited in practice · shoulder · run game
Practice week: Fri Limited
Branson Taylor GLimited in practice · neck · offensive line
Practice week: Fri Limited
Dalvin Tomlinson DTLimited in practice · hamstring · pass rush
Practice week: Fri Limited
Deane Leonard CBLimited in practice · rib · pass coverage
Practice week: Fri Limited
Scott Matlock FBLimited in practice · foot · run game
Practice week: Fri Limited
Trey Lance QBLimited in practice · groin · quarterback
Practice week: Fri Limited

Full practice: Khalil Mack (DE, not injury related - resting player)

Teams report practice on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and issue game designations on Friday. We check the league’s data every few hours from Wednesday to Sunday and keep what we saw, so a player’s practice week starts the first time we saw him; it is not the league’s own day-by-day log. Game-day inactives, announced about 90 minutes before kickoff, are not included.

← All 32 teams

Data: nflverse play-by-play, CC BY 4.0. Ranks use the 2026 regular season through Week 4. Also FTN charting, Pro Football Reference advanced stats, snap counts and injury reports, all through nflverse. Calculations and charts by Raiders Rundown.

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Chiefs vs Chargers: position-group matchup

On paper

Chiefs pass coverage (6th) against the Chargers quarterback play (31st)

Chiefs pass coverage (6th) against the Chargers receiving corps (28th)

Position group by position group

Chiefs offense vs Chargers defense

Pass protection vs pass rush

Run game vs run defense

Quarterback vs coverage

Receivers vs coverage

Chargers offense vs Chiefs defense

Pass protection vs pass rush

Run game vs run defense

Quarterback vs coverage

Receivers vs coverage

Tale of the tape

The coaches

How each team plays

Who is missing

Chiefs

Chargers

More from the Lab