Here are some areas the San Diego Chargers need to focus on after a 31-13 home win against Kansas City on Thursday night:
Recap: The Chargers looked like a good football team Thursday night. Yes, they beat the 1-7 Chiefs. But it doesn’t matter. This game was about the Chargers for the Chargers. The opponent didn’t matter. The Chargers entered the game losers of three games in a row they were in danger of seeing coach Norv Turner lose his job with a loss to the Chiefs. Thus, a complete team win to even their record to 4-4 is a good thing for the Chargers.
Biggest area to fix: Third-down defense. The Chiefs converted 7-of-12 times on third down, including the first four of the game. Third-down defense was a problem for San Diego last season and it’s had its moments this season. Thursday’s performance showed that San Diego still has work to do in that area.
Biggest area to build on: The Chargers should be excited about how they ran the ball. San Diego had 123 yards on 26 carries. San Diego closed this game out on the ground. It gave the offense a huge boost. If the Chargers can rely on their ground game during the second half, their offense will benefit greatly.
What to watch for: The Chargers can’t stay satisfied. They play at Tampa Bay in Week 10. If the Chargers can beat the Buccaneers and be 5-4, they will go into a Nov. 18 game at Denver with a lot of confidence.