Kansas City Chiefs: Three things to watch vs Chargers in Week 17

The Kansas City Chiefs host the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead in Week 17.

The 14-1 Kansas City Chiefs will be ending their regular season against the 6-9 Los Angeles Chargers. Both teams are coming off three-point victories with the Chargers barely beating the Broncos and the Chiefs winning a nail biter against Atlanta.

Neither team has anything to play for, but that doesn’t mean this won’t be a battle. The Chargers have been eliminated from the playoffs and the Chiefs clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Here are three things to watch out for in Week 17 against the Chargers.

Kansas City Chiefs vs LA Chargers What to Watch – Backups’ Time to Shine

The Chiefs have already announced that they will start their backups. This is a chance for the players who have had few snaps to show what they got and iis more critical for these players in a year that did not have a preseason. Expect these players to play with intensity as they try to prove themselves. They will be fighting for next year to stay on the team or audition for other teams.

The last time KC benched their starters prior to the playoffs was Patrick Mahomes’ first start in 2017 at Mile High Stadium where Mahomes defeated the Broncos 24-27 in a thriller. It was a glimpse of what was to come with the team’s, at the time, future star quarterback.

Los Angeles could be using this game like a preseason game as well, but unlike the Chiefs, they won’t be benching their starters from the beginning. Chargers’ rookie quarterback Justin Herbert needs more experience to help him for next season. However, other positions could see a higher rotation rate. This could be a game where both sides see some breakout players deep in their depth charts.