Five Reasons The Chiefs Will Win In San Diego

4.) This will be the Chargers’ first full taste of Hali and Houston under DC Bob Sutton

When the Chargers and Chiefs first met last year, KC put up a 14-3 lead on them before both OLB’s Tamba Hali and Justin Houston went down with injuries within minutes of each other. With the pass-rushing core of the defense suddenly gone, the Chiefs went from having the momentum firmly in their hands to facing a total shootout situation in which the Chargers were just the last to have the ball and thereby won it 38-41.

Sep 29, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali (91) celebrates after the Chiefs recovered a fumble during the second half against the New England Patriots at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 41-14. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

When the Chiefs went to San Diego later that year, they had already clinched their playoff spot and given vacation tickets to nearly all their starters. Still, with everything on the line, the Chargers required some truly strange turns of events in order to beat the Chiefs’ backups and sneak into the playoffs.

So, while Sutton’s defense is still missing key cogs MLB Derrick Johnson and S Eric Berry, this will be the first time that it will have Hali and Houston fully healthy and hungry against San Diego. Sure, Rivers gets it out fast (TWSS), but faster than Tom Brady?