Chiefs vs. Chargers: It’s time for K.C. to bring the pressure

The Chiefs have been waiting till later in games to really get after the passer. Will they change that in week 3?

As the Kansas City Chiefs head out to Los Angeles to take on their division rivals, we have to wonder if this is the week they really let the defense get after the passer. The Chargers have a weak offensive line with a lot of holes.

If you watched especially the game in week one between the Chargers and Denver Broncos, you will remember the Broncos constantly got in Philip Rivers face and made the passing game almost nonexistent. The way to shut the Chargers offense down is getting after Rivers. He has the offensive weapons to do some damage, but if the Chiefs can get after him fast and disrupt the offense, it could be a brutal day for San Diego’s quarterback.

If you go back to week one of 2016, Keenan Allen was torching the Chiefs defense until he got hurt. You might even remember him waving at Marcus Peters to follow him he was beating him so bad. I expect Peters to have a better handle on him this time around, but would like to see Allen not get many opportunities to get open.

This game also didn’t have Justin Houston or Chris Jones in the lineup. Houston was injured and on IR while Jones had not gotten his chance to shine yet after just being drafted.

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Even to end the season, the Chargers and Chiefs went in a shootout before the Chiefs could pull away with a 37-27 victory. That game was without a fully healthy Houston and the most injured front seven in the league. With Houston and other key pieces back, expect Rivers to not put up as many points.

Bob Sutton has had the defense dropping eight guys into coverage a majority of the snaps in the first half through two games. The last thing you want to do is give a quarterback like Rivers time to wait for a route to come open, especially with the depth at cornerback right now. This is the week to let the dogs loose and allow Dee Ford and Justin Houston to do what they do best and get after the quarterback.

Dropping eight into coverage has not worked out well for the defense obviously when they are ranked 29th in total yards given up. Now I know that the defense plays with a bend don’t break system, but the Chiefs can’t afford to keep giving up that many yards.

This is the first season that Houston has really looked like himself since before his injury in 2015. While he looks great, we haven’t gotten to see him actually spend most of the game going after the quarterback.

The Chiefs defense has 9 sacks so far this season, much coming in the second half of games. If they decide to let Houston and Ford get after the quarterback this week, we could see much more. Not to mention if the Chiefs decide to send Daniel Sorensen down the middle some more this week.

Sorensen was a rocket out of a cannon in the second half against the Eagles and it really put Wentz under pressure. I expect him to see more blitzes this week along with other packages of blitzes that Sutton can dial up.

Related Story: Why Rivers should frighten Chiefs fans

If the Chiefs defense can continually get after Rivers like the Broncos did in week one, this game could have a big differential in points. I don’t have any concern about the offense scoring against a Chargers defense struggling with their new 4-3 scheme. If the defense can keep Rivers on the move, this game has the potential to be a blowout.