LA Chargers: Staff predictions for Week 2 vs. Kansas City Chiefs

The LA Chargers look to move to 2-0 against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2.

The LA Chargers have quite the test in their first-ever game at the brand-new SoFi Stadium. The Bolts are tasked with hosting the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs, a team that has dominated the Chargers in recent years.

While Charger fans might not be feeling all that hopeful after the way the offense looked in Week 1, the Chargers’ defense has had success in stopping Kansas City before and perhaps the team was saving the real juicy playcalling for this matchup.

It is an interesting game for sure and it is the first true playoff team the Chargers are playing in this Tyrod Taylor era. The Chargers enter this game as 8.5-point underdogs and the over-under currently sits at 47.5, courtesy of The Action Network.

Here at Bolt Beat, the entire staff is predicting the outcome of every Chargers game this season. We get one win on our record for the straight-up win or loss and another point for correctly picking over or under the betting total.

Let’s get into it.

Bolt Beat LA Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs predictions:

Alexander Insdorf (1-1-0): Kansas City Chiefs 30, LA Chargers 21

“I expect this game to be fairly close. The Chargers have been the most competitive AFC West team in the Mahomes era when it comes to facing the Chiefs. In four games, the Chargers have a -26 point differential with one win. The Broncos and Raiders have -55 and -88 point differentials with the Chiefs in the last two seasons, respectively.

This game comes down to the Chargers’ offense. The Chargers’ defense can contain Mahomes, as we saw last season. If the offense turns it over frequently or can’t sustain drives, that won’t matter.

The keys to the game are getting Keenan Allen involved vs. a depleted secondary as well as having someone to keep up with Travis Kelce. Losing Derwin James for the season is a rather large disadvantage when it comes to the chiefs-chargers matchups this year.

The Chargers keep it close, but the Chiefs pull away in the fourth quarter.”

Devon Auriemma (2-0-0): Kansas City Chiefs 31, LA Chargers 20

“The Chiefs dominated in their Week 1 victory over the Texans while the Chargers’ offense struggled against the Bengals. This game will come down to the Chargers’ ability to score touchdowns as field goals will not win them this game.

If the offense can find ways to score touchdowns and the defense continues to play at a high level then they can keep it close and possibly get their first win in SoFi Stadium. However, I need to see the offense play better before being more confident against opponents like the Chiefs.”

Faustino Felix (1-1-0): Kansas City Chiefs 26, LA Chargers 23

“While this has the potential to be a blowout loss for the Chargers, this will be a closer game than most expect. The defense hasn’t given us any reason to doubt them, so it will all depend on how the offense performs.

Tyrod Taylor is not going to put the team on his shoulders, but if he can do his job of not committing turnovers and moving the chains consistently, the Chargers could actually beat the Chiefs. He could use the help of more creative playcalling.”

Steven Haglund (1-1-0): Kansas City Chiefs 27, LA Chargers 20

“Much has been made on Twitter about the lack of creativity on offense, and after watching the game back twice now I just think last week was essentially treated as a preseason game.

Yes, the play calling was vanilla, and the team ran up the middle more frequently than ever under Anthony Lynn. I can see the creativity coming and I think some of it breaks out this week. That being said, it won’t be enough to beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

They are simply too good, and the addition of Clyde Edwards-Helaire terrifies me. The Chargers’ defense is good enough to keep things close, but I expect Patrick Mahomes to lead a drive at the end to seal the deal. And don’t freak out when the Chargers lose! This team will be fine, and being 1-1 isn’t the worst thing in the world.”

Tyler Gallagher (2-0-0): Kansas City Chiefs 24, LA Chargers 17

“The Los Angeles Chargers have the defense to contend with the Kansas City Chiefs, and they proved last week that they have the team to consistently win the turnover battle. I predict that they will win the turnover battle again this week.

But, points need to come out of those turnovers for it to matter, and through explosive plays, the Chiefs will score more on fewer possessions than the Chargers will with more, resulting in a closer-than-predicted loss for the Bolts.”

Jason Reed (2-0-0): Kansas City Chiefs 27, LA Chargers 14

As much as I wanted to be the only person to pick the Chargers, I have to go with what I really think and not just throw a Chargers pick out there because of my homer bias. Look: the Chiefs are the best team in the league and the Chargers are a team without continuity at quarterback who are still learning how this offense works.

I do think it is more creative than last week and I do think they were treating last week as a warm-up of sorts without a preseason.

However, the Chiefs are just so good offensively that I see them jumping out to a two-possession lead and sitting on it the rest of the game. The Chargers will eat a lot of clock naturally and so will the Chiefs behind Edwards-Helaire.

The Chiefs score 27 behind a big game from Kelce and by capitalizing on good field position after some lackluster offensive drives from the Chargers. Austin Ekeler scores a rushing touchdown and Tyrod Taylor finds the endzone for the first time this season, connecting with Keenan Allen.