Live Thread: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

And then it came down to one.

Four months ago the Kansas City Chiefs started a season at Arrowhead with a devastating loss to the Tennessee Titans in the season’s home opener. Now the Chiefs sit here in week 17 needing a win and some help to make the playoffs, and wondering how today may have been different if they had just taken care of business in their season opener.

Alas, the loss happened. The Chiefs’ offensive line collapsed, Alex Smith was nearly killed, the wide receivers forget the season started four months ago, and Andy Reid forgot about the existence of Jamaal Charles. This season is more than just one bad loss to Tennessee or a bad loss to the Oakland Raiders on the road on a Thursday night.

But how different would today be if the Chiefs had managed to win that game in week one? Kansas City would only need to win today to make the playoffs and would have 10 wins in a season in back-to-back years for the first time since the early ’90’s. The season isn’t just one game but is there a game more important than that loss to Tennessee?

Maybe the Chiefs get a small taste of redemption today. A win over the Chargers and losses by the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans would send the Chiefs to the playoffs as a six seed. They would knock out some key hurdles for the franchise heading into what is John Dorsey and Andy Reid’s most important offseason to date with the Chiefs.

Anything can happen. Let’s just hope that anything is a Chiefs win with Ravens and Texans losses.

Prediction: Chiefs 24, Chargers 23