KC Chiefs: What we learned about the AFC West after Week 11

What did we learn about the Los Angeles Chargers?

Well, it was a risky move, but I picked the Chargers as my survivor team this week since they were the lucky ones to face the winless Jets. It worked out for me, but even with the Chargers winning just their third game of the season (and Justin Herbert getting win No. 2 as a starter), this game wasn’t the blowout many thought it would be.

The Chargers beat the Jets 34-28 and were it not for the Rookie of the Year performance put on by Herbert, the Jets honestly might have pulled this one out. Herbert went 37-of-49 for 366 yards and three touchdowns while the Chargers run game totaled just 29 yards on the ground. It’s no secret that LA has been banged up at running back, but just 29 total yards is pretty pathetic.

The defense allowed Joe Flacco to have a big game and also let Frank Gore rush for 61 yards. The Chargers have always been a team unlucky with injuries, so it’s hard to tell if that’s why the defense is playing poorly this year or if it’s because the defense is no longer the same smothering unit it was in 2018.

Even with a tight win, the Chargers still got the job done, moving to 3-7 on the year. What we learned about the Chargers is that their season will end after Week 17, but at least Los Angeles knows they have their quarterback of the future. This is a team that went from Drew Brees to Philip Rivers to Justin Herbert in consecutive years and that’s simply unfair.

Next up: The Chargers head north for a date with the Buffalo Bills in the early window of games.