Chiefs vs. Chargers: Keenan Allen among matchup concerns in Week 2

Keenan Allen vs. Chiefs Secondary

Los Angeles does not possess very many advantages over the Chiefs’ roster; however, one place in which they may have an advantage is with wide receiver Keenan Allen versus the secondary for Kansas City. This possible advantage is amplified if Kansas City’s best cornerback, Charvarius Ward, is unable to play after a fractured hand last Thursday night forced him to have surgery.

Even if Ward plays, covering Allen is a tough task for the secondary. Allen is tall, fast and aggressive. When healthy, he is one of the top ten wideouts in the NFL. On Sunday, he was targeted eight times but hauled in only four receptions for 37 yards. One would expect that, as the Chargers work with a new quarterback, they’ll increase the target rate to their best weapon. Against Kansas City, that means slants and bubble screens to neutralize the pass rush.

The keys for Kansas City in this area are likely two-fold. First, it may be prudent to have safety Tyrann Mathieu, who may be the team’s best cover man, shadow Allen throughout the day. Yes, Mathieu is valuable in the run game, as a blitzer, and just about everywhere else the team lines him up. In this game, covering Allen may be the best use of his talents for a team that is likely to be able to generate significant backfield pressure without him.

Second, in lieu of putting “The Landlord” on the Chargers’ best weapon, it may be wise to simply double team him and force the team’s other weapons (who aren’t bad, in their rights) to beat you. Kansas City can probably handle Mike Williams (WR2) one-on-one if necessary, especially considering the pass rush. But the same cannot be said of Allen. This is one of the scarier matchups for Kansas City.