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Chargers best games from 2018: Philip Rivers vs Kansas City Chiefs (Week 1)

By Tyler Schoon

CARSON, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs and Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers shake hands at the end of the game after a 38-28 Chiefs win at StubHub Center on September 9, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs and Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers shake hands at the end of the game after a 38-28 Chiefs win at StubHub Center on September 9, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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The Chargers 2018 regular season and postseason games featured highlight performances from stars and contributors alike. Up next, Philip Rivers…

The Chargers were the beneficiaries of some outstanding performances from their players on offense, defense, and even special teams. As the 2019 season approaches, let’s take a look back at some of the most dominant appearances from some of these Chargers players. Last article featured Keenan Allen’s slicing up of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This time, his quarterback: Philip Rivers vs Kansas City Chiefs, Week 1.

The Stats: 34-51, 424 yards, three touchdowns, one interception

One could argue this isn’t even one of Rivers’ top three games of the year, and his QBR of 51.7 was a bottom-five grade for the signal caller in 2018. Shoot, the team even lost this game. So why is it one of the best from last year?

For one, the numbers alone are impressive. Rivers wasn’t perfect that day, but he was able to move the offense to the tune of 541 total yards. The stats don’t reflect one of the biggest stories of the game, though, which were a number of awful drops by Travis Benjamin (surprised, right?) and Tyrell Williams.

Fourth big-play drop for Rivers’ receivers…third on Travis Benjamin pic.twitter.com/bybdnW0y7n

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) September 10, 2018

But what makes this game the most impressive, personally, is how it may have changed the season, and may even influence this season. In 2017, No. 17 had two terrible games against the Chiefs:

  • 20-40, 237 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions, 12.3 QBR
  • 20-36, 227 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions, 37.9 QBR

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This game was clearly different, as he only fell short of the combined passing yard total of both game by just 40 yards, not to mention a much-improved 3:1 TD:INT ratio. It was a much-needed game for Rivers, and even for fans who wondered if their beloved quarterback could ever shake the Chiefs. This game showed he could; later in the season, he did. That’s why it’s one of the team’s best individual performances of 2018.

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