Everything means something.
Few things in the National Football League mean more than how a team starts a season. Only one of the 57 Super Bowl winners started their championship campaign with a home loss. This year, for only the fourth time, a defending Super Bowl champion hosting the season opener on a Thursday night lost that contest. The tradition started in 2004, and twice the defending champ didn’t start at home, but in the other 18 openers hosted by the current Super Bowl champion the home team won 14 times.
Last year, the Los Angeles Rams lost at home in the opener and went on to record the worst record in history for a defending champion, 5-12. The first defending title holder to lose their home opener on a Thursday night was the New York Giants in 2013, and they completed that year with seven wins against nine losses.
There is an exception to the rule that a defending champ that loses their opener is destined for a disappointing season. In 2017, the New Patriots opened defense of their title that they won the prior February in the comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons, with a setback to the Kansas City Chiefs, 42-27. Then Belichick, Brady and company had another great season and returned to the Super Bowl, which resulted in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
If you are going to find an exception to a rule in the NFL it is a good bet that Tom Brady and his merry men are the culprits.
So, while everything matters, nothing is for sure.
This year, the Chiefs opened defense of their Super Bowl LVII title with a loss to the Detroit Lions. This threw doubt on the prospect of Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid winning it all in 2023.
Yet, we know that Mahomes is in the same sphere as Brady and a likely rulebreaker. And, since that opening loss the Chiefs have won five straight games and established a two game lead in the AFC West Division over the Las Vegas Raiders and their opponent on Sunday, the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers are led by a head coach seemingly only holding his job because some bean counter in the front office sees the cost of dismissing him with years left on his lucrative contract. Based on performance alone, Brandon Staley would have been shown the door before guiding the Chargers into this season.
The Chargers appear on the field like a petunia in the hot sun without water. They wilt under pressure, fail to make the big play to win a close game and seemingly are in a pattern of allowing a talented roster to get old without winning a postseason game.
So, what do we have here when the Chiefs host the Chargers tomorrow?
We’ve got a Kansas City squad that has been playing better defense than offense despite having Mahomes directing their attack. We also have a Chargers team capable of staying close to any opponent. The Chargers season opening loss was by two points to the high scoring Miami Dolphins and they suffered a setback by a field goal last Monday night against the talented Dallas Cowboys.
Can we expect them to go into Arrowhead Stadium and beat the Chiefs?
Only maybe.
Can we expect the Chargers to go into Arrowhead and stay close to the Chiefs?
Absolutely.
Qoxhi Picks: Los Angeles Chargers (+5½) over Kansas City Chiefs