The LA Chargers are heading into the biggest game of the season against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football in Week 15. This game is essentially going to decide who wins the AFC West this season and fans are waiting for positive Chargers news about the current questionable players.
The first piece of promising Chargers news came on Tuesday as it was announced that Keenan Allen was activated off of the covid-19 list. Rashawn Slater is also on the covid-19 list, although it would be genuinely shocking if he was able to play on Thursday. Meanwhile, the likes of Austin Ekeler, Asante Samuel Jr. and Derwin James are all still questionable for Thursday, although all signs are pointing to Ekeler playing.
The team has still not officially announced Derwin James' status for the game after he missed Sunday's game against the New York Giants. However, Kyzir White may have supplied fans with the best Chargers news possible, potentially revealing that James is going to be playing against the Chiefs in Week 15.
In a press conference with media on Tuesday, White said the following regarding missing James last week:
"You always want a player like [Derwin James] behind you but you know, next man up mentality and we knew we just had to hold it down for him for that week and then he's going to be back with us this Thursday. "
LA Chargers News: It appears that the Chargers are expecting Derwin James to play on Thursday
Of course, anything can happen and there can be a setback on Wednesday or Thursday that leads to Derwin James not being able to play but Kyzir White's comments give us a peek into the team's mentality heading into the game. White is seemingly expecting James to suit up on Thursday, which is fantastic for the Chargers.
Derwin James is a huge x-factor on the defense coming up against an offense as dynamic as the Chiefs'. It becomes much easier to limit the duo of Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill when you have James to help over the top on Hill or in double-coverage on Kelce. And as we have seen this season, as long as you can slow down those two then you can slow down the entire Chiefs offense.
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If James is able to play and Asante Samuel Jr. is also able to return from him concussion then the Chargers' secondary is going to be in an excellent position coming up against the Chiefs and even without Slater, it is hard to not like the Bolts' chances.