San Diego Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen left in the first half of Sunday’s game at Kansas City with a knee injury that could possibly end his season. But it really hit its stride when the Chargers missed a 54-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, giving Kansas City some desperately needed momentum. The Chiefs won the overtime coin flip and marched down to the winning run by quarterback Alex Smith, who went to high school in the San Diego area.
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The first half of the game was especially frustrating for Chiefs fans because both the offense and defense looked completely inept. Allen’s leg injury opens the door for another San Diego receiver to step up and take his targets.
The Chiefs scored their first touchdown of the season in the third quarter, as Alex Smith hit Tyreek Hill for a 9-yard score.
“He has a knack for making plays when you need them”, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. The most surprising thing, however, was how involved Ware was in the passing game.
Allen, 24, suffered the knee injury with just over two minutes left in the second quarter of the Chargers’ 33-27 overtime loss.
Philip Rivers threw for 243 yards and a touchdown, and Melvin Gordon scored the first two TDs of his career.
“We’re going to run further tests”, he said. They showed a lot of character and grit, and the players didn’t seem overly pleased with themselves afterward, which speaks to the standards they hold themselves to and is a positive sign going forward. After a five-yard penalty on Jahleel Addae for unnecessary roughness, Ware was able to rush for a five-yard touchdown, and after the extra point the game was tied 27-27. There is no comeback if the Chargers continue to score late in the game. With 11 minutes, 25 seconds to play, the Chargers had the ball at the Chiefs 36-yard line.
The Saints had a chance to win on the final play, but Wil Lutz’s 61-yard field-goal attempts was wide left. He completed 20 of 34 passes for 199 yards, with scoring passes to Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams. “And I don’t know if that’s the reason we lost the game, but I think he definitely has a big affect on the game”.
“We have a belief in Mike and a confidence in him”, general manager Tom Telesco said at the time. Down by 18 points in the first half and 21 in the second half, Smith and his teammates mounted the biggest comeback in franchise history with 23 unanswered points. On multiple occasions, Smith was forced from the pocket, resulting in three sacks for -33 yards.
Opposite Julio Jones, new addition Mohamed Sanu caught five passes for 80 yards, including a 59-yard reception and a touchdown. A half of football like that will get you beaten against a better team.
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“Everybody with eyes who saw the game has got to know, we have to close it”, Chargers offensive tackle Joe Barksdale said. He broke out with 1,046 receiving yards and eight touchdowns during his rookie season and reached a new level before getting hurt last season.
