This past Sunday, the 28th of December, 2014, in Week 17 of the regular season, there were some 17 games played, many of which had playoff implications. This was the last game for all NFL teams for the 2014 season. The game we are recapping is the now 9-7 San Diego Chargers (2nd AFC West) losing to the now 9-7 Kansas City Chiefs (2nd AFC West). The Chiefs eliminated the Chargers from the AFC Playoffs with their 19-7 win over the Chargers.
The Chiefs themselves ended the season a game short to making the playoffs, primarily as the lacked big plays and their receivers lacked scoring ability, which they will have to resolve in the offseason.
The Chargers just needed a win in this game to make it into the playoffs, and their loss, brought out bigger problems, that being their lack of depth in the skill positions.
This was another one of those games were the Statistics and the scoreboard did not matchup, as the Chargers had 21-1st downs on 66 plays for 361 total yards, with 249 passing and 112 rushing with 3 turnovers, while having ball possession for 31:21 minutes. The Chiefs had 15-1st downs on 57 plays with 251 total yards, with 140 passing 111 rushing, but with no turnovers and possessed the ball for 28:39 minutes of the game. The turnovers by the Chargers were very costly, as one was a fumble in the end zone recovered by the Chiefs.
This game for 2 offensive oriented teams was incredible as the majority of the scoring took place in the 2nd quarter with the Chiefs scoring a TD and 2 FGs for 13 points, and the Chargers scoring a TD for 7 points. Apart from that, the only scores were a 3 point FG by the Chiefs in the 1st and a FG for 3 points in the 3rd quarter, with both teams scoreless in the final 4th period and the ending score Chiefs 19 Chargers 7.
In this game the Kansas City’s only TD came from WR Bowe fumbled just a few inches short of the goal in the second quarter, and his fellow TE Kelce recovered same in the end zone for the TD and 7 points, and incredibly the Chiefs continued their crazy streak, with no WR’s scoring a TD this 2014 season, and that’s the first time in some 50 years since that has happened.
If you bet on NFL football at a sportsbook, and are a Chargers fan, the best explanation, came from their QB Rivers who said his team has been playing on life support for the last 4th of their season many of their top players sidelined with injuries. If you’re a Chiefs fan, you need to look at their front office and insist they get help for the Receivers in their offensive scheme, as this year the wide receivers didn’t give the team enough support, especially with the fact that the position scored no points in 2014. Good Luck!