Chargers Travel Six Thousand Miles To Find Level Playing Field

Photo Credit: Ty Nowell

They sacrificed a home game, spent half a day traveling, were considered a neutral field underdog, and were nearly unanimously picked to lose by the experts. The stars were all on the other side of the field: The three-time Super Bowl Champs; a podcaster masquerading as a tight end (and future Mister Swift); a State Farm pitchman and two-time league MVP and the rest of the principles from a six-part ESPN documentary series, "The Kingdom."

The choice made sense from a viewership perspective. Kansas City has become a prime time staple in the Patrick Mahomes era. The four-time Super Bowl champions have hosted the Thursday kickoff game since 2004, including Kansas City having hosted the last two.

Though the Lombardi Trophy was hoisted in Philadelphia the night before, slotting the Chiefs into the Brazil game allows the league to have their cake and eat it too.

One of the soccer pitch's end zones was painted in Kansas City's colors despite their visitor's status. The YouTube broadcast gave a pregame sideline interview to Patrick Mahomes, and a halftime one to coach Andy Reid. At that point the score was 13-6 in favor of the Chargers, but why ask them any questions?

The Chargers entered the game at Corinthians Arena on a seven-game losing streak to Kansas City and were 3-19 in their past 22 games against the Chiefs dating back to the Alex Smith era. This was supposed to be a cupcake.

Only six current players remain from the most recent iteration of the team to beat the Chiefs back in 2021: Justin Herbert, Derwin James, Keenan Allen, Rashawn Slater (out for the season after tearing the patella tendon in his knee), Alohi Gilman, and Trey Pipkins. In the NFL, teams turnover their rosters dramatically from season to season; even the good teams. But the point is, how many of the current Chargers even knew what it feels like to win a game against the defending AFC champs?

The NFL delivered to São Paulo a pack of lions, an actual man named "Roman," and some powder blue-clad Christians to feed them on the global stage. Brimming with "influencers," YouTube's free broadcast was tasked with selling America's strange game to the barbarian hordes beyond the Wall.

Bread and circuses from a country famous for hosting a week-long party called Carnival! Under coach Andy Reid the AFC champions were undefeated in international games , winning contests in London, Mexico City and Frankfurt, Germany. Why not throw them a party in South America?

Rich Eisen, an educated Michigan man, couldn't be bothered to learn all of the Chargers player's names; calling Tyler Conklin "Will Dissley" at one point, correcting himself, then identified him as Dissley once more because he saw an opportunity to make a pun.

Yes, the Brazilian crowd held a large contingent of Chiefs fans, but the remainder of them wore whatever team they followed. Funny thing about the guy wearing the Brady jersey, and the guy in the Polamalu one, and the girl in the Aikman one is that they all can agree that they don't like the Chiefs. The Bolts lost a home game but gained the alliance of new fans, even if it was just a one-night-stand.

As for the game, this one felt like Apollo Creed taking Rocky too lightly. "He doesn't know it's a damn show. He thinks it's a damn fight."

A fight that the Chargers fought on their terms. After another offseason selling the public on building a throwback running game, offensive coordinator Greg Roman pulled a rope-a-dope by putting multiple receiver sets on the field and letting his golden-armed quarterback take wing—and foot.

Herbert threw the ball on 69.5 percent of offensive snaps.

Herbert's first snap was a pass call that he tucked and ran for six yards. It was a harbinger.

By the game's end even Herbert's staunchest critics would deliver their mea culpas.

Justin Herbert threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns for the first time in the Jim Harbaugh era, tacking on 32 yards rushing and a game-sealing scramble to his right for a 19-yard gain on a third-and-14 snap just before the two-minute warning. It was the longest run of the game for either team, in case you were someone still asking if Herbert "measures up."

After wondering if Keenan Allen and Ladd McConkey couldn't play together because of their overlapping skill set the two diced up Steve Spagnuolo's secondary all night long. In his first game back after his stint in Chicago, Allen picked up where he left off catching 7 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. McConkey caught 6 for 74 yards.

Much-maligned Quentin Johnston will soon be opening up his DMs for your apologies. He caught 5 for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns.

When the Chiefs finally started to punch back in the second half the Chargers slapped down Travis Kelce, a Mahomes two-point conversion attempt and a 4th quarter rally. In that order.

In the third quarter, after Kansas City right tackle Jawaan Taylor committed his fourth penalty of the game, Kelce leaned in and head-butted him as he screamed like a 14-year old at a Taylor Swift concert.

It should be noted that Taylor got away with similar false starts on many occasions last season, and memorably in the Chargers and Jaguars wildcard playoff game in 2023. Remember Joey Bosa throwing his helmet on the sideline and Brandon Staley handing it back to him?

That was after Taylor, then the Jaguars right tackle, jumped out his stance before the snap and, in Bosa's opinion, held him on the same play. Furious with the "no call" Bosa was penalized for yelling at the official.

In São Paulo, for whatever reason, the officials were not going to let Taylor get and extra jump on the snap. Essentially Kelce was yelling at Taylor (Juwaan, not Swift) for playing the same way he has for years. Next time, Kelce should try barking up the officiating tree.

Despite the Chargers seven-game losing streak the games have been decided by the slimmest of margins against their division rivals. It might seem trivial to bemoan a right tackle getting away with gaming the rule book, but when the games come down to a kick bouncing off of the crossbar and through the uprights it cannot be denied that these inches add up.

Left with no choice after the Chargers kneeled on the ball to run out the clock on a 27-21 win, the YouTube crew was forced to finally talk to some of the guys in powder blue.

Maybe because Jawaan Taylor declined an interview request in the locker room and Kelce was no where to be found.