Chiefs roll into Week 6 unbeaten as winless Chargers face a daunting trip to Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are the last remaining unbeaten team in the AFC, and one of just three in the entire NFL heading into Week 6, while the Los Angeles Chargers are among the suffering trio of teams that have yet to win a game.

In many ways, it’s back to normal for the Chiefs after a down season by their standards. But it’s wholly unusual for the Chargers, who are coming off back-to-back 11-win seasons under Jim Harbaugh but are off to their worst start in more than two decades.

“One of the things we were all put on this Earth to do was to handle both success and loss,” Harbaugh said recently, “to do that with the same passion and enthusiasm and to show that you belong.”

Yet it’s hard to fathom the Chargers having a whole lot of passion when they head to Kansas City on Sunday.

Not only are the Chiefs among the league’s highest-scoring teams again, and their defense under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo once again holding teams in check, they are coming off a bye — and Andy Reid is almost unbeatable in those situations.

Teams going back to his days with the Philadelphia Eagles are a combined 22-5 during the regular season when given a week off.

“We know that records don’t matter. They’ve been in every game and they’re playing their tail off,” Reid said of the Chargers, pointing out that much of the roster is the same from the bunch that beat Kansas City twice last season.

The second matchup in December was the game in which Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore ligaments in his left knee.

Mahomes is back to playing at a high level, though, helped by the success of free-agent acquisition Kenneth Walker III in the Chiefs’ backfield. They’re hitting deep passes as they were during Mahomes’ early days in the league, and the fact he’s been able to scramble, create and run the Kansas City offense without his knee causing any issues has put everyone in their building at ease.

His counterpart, Justin Herbert, has been a microcosm — or a big reason for — many of the Chargers’ problems. He’s tied with Patriots quarterback Drake Maye for the most interceptions in the league, and only the Browns’ Deshaun Watson has been sacked more entering Week 6.

“Listen, it’s a divisional opponent, so those games are really, really, really important,” Chiefs pass rusher George Karlaftis said. “With them not having gotten any wins, they’re going to be hungry. They’re going to be hungry to get their first win, and they’d like nothing more than to get a win against us. So, we’ve got to be on our stuff. It’s a team that their record, I don’t think, is indicative of the team that they are. They’re in every game, and we have a lot of respect for them.”

Need to know

Los Angeles Chargers (0-5) at Kansas City (4-0)

When/where to watch: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, CBS.

Latest odds: Chiefs by 1 1/2.

Against the spread: Los Angeles 0-4-1, Kansas City 2-2.

Last week: Chargers lost to Broncos 23-17; Chiefs off.

Last meeting: Chargers beat Chiefs 16-13 on Dec. 14, 2025, in Kansas City.

Series record: Chiefs lead 71-60-1.

Matchup to watch

For all their ills, the Chargers have been good against the pass this season, allowing just 193 yards per game — sixth in the league. Mahomes has been playing at a high level, but he’ll be without two of his top three wide receivers after Tyquan Thornton went on injured reserve with a dislocated ankle and Rashee Rice missed practice this week with a hamstring injury. If the Chiefs are unable to throw the ball against Los Angeles, that will put pressure on Walker to have another big game.

Stats and stuff

— Chiefs TE Travis Kelce needs 88 yards receiving against Los Angeles to pass Hall of Famer and former Chiefs standout Tony Gonzalez (15,413) for the most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history.

— Kelce also can pass Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison (1,102) for the fifth-most catches with seven against the Chargers.

— DT Chris Jones is tied for third in Chiefs history with 87 1/2 sacks. Two will tie Tamba Hali for second behind Derrick Thomas.

— The Chargers have not won back-to-back games in Kansas City since 2020 and ’21.

— Chargers LB Khalil Mack needs four sacks to reach 120 for his career. He would be the 25th player to reach that mark since sacks were first tracked during the 1982 season.

— Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill and free safety Alohi Gilman were drafted by the Chargers. CB Kristian Fulton spent the 2024 season with them.

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