Chargers head to Kansas City trying to snap a 6-game skid vs Chiefs and help their playoff chances

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers would love to be in the Kansas City Chiefs' situation these days.

The two-time defending Super Bowl champions have already clinched their 10th consecutive postseason berth, the second-longest streak in NFL history. They are closing in on another AFC West title. And they play two of their next three at home, beginning with Sunday night's matchup against Los Angeles.

Oh, and the Chiefs are wholly unsatisfied with just about anything.

In back-to-back weeks, and wins over Carolina and Las Vegas decided in the final couple plays, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs (11-1) sounded as if they had lost. They admittedly have not played their best game yet, and with five games left in the regular season, time is becoming short to put everything together.

“I think when you clinch a playoff spot — that's your first goal is to get into the playoffs and give yourself a chance to go for that Super Bowl,” said Mahomes, who has been openly critical of his own play for much of the season. “We know we have a long way to go. We have to continue to work to get better to continue to be a better team going into the playoffs.”

While five games may not sound like much, it's a luxury compared to where Kansas City sat last season.

An argument could be made that the team didn't hit rock-bottom until Christmas Day, when it lost at home to the Raiders. But the Chiefs rolled on from there to the Super Bowl title, and did not lose again until their game at Buffalo a few weeks ago.

“We're happy to clinch a playoff berth,” Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said, “but we have a long way to go to reach the end goal.”

So do the Chargers (8-4), though they are certainly moving in the right direction.

They climbed back to the No. 5 seed in the playoffs with their win over the Falcons coupled with the Ravens' loss to the Eagles, putting them in a good spot in Jim Harbaugh's first season. They've also won five of six with the lone loss to Baltimore.

"Oh yeah, we look at the standings, for sure,” Harbaugh ackowledged. “They are very important. We’re fighting for our playoff lives.”

They would be helped immeasurably by ending a six-game skid against the Chiefs on Sunday night.

“It’d be great if somebody else doesn’t win, but you can’t count on that. It’s something you don’t count on,” Harbaugh said. "You have to win the games yourselves. That’s what you have to do. Can’t really spend any energy hoping a team messes up.”

D.J. Humphries could make his Kansas City debut at left tackle just over a week after signing with the team. The former Pro Bowl pick had spent the summer and start of the season rehabbing from a torn ACL, but pronounced himself fit and ready to go.

“I got full faith that this organization knows what to do with football players and knows where to put them,” Humphries said. “All I have to do is go out there and be the best version of myself every day.”

It doesn't seem to matter who's kicking for the Chiefs these days; they always come through.

When Harrison Butker went on injured reserve with a knee injury, Spencer Shrader arrived off the Jets' practice squad and he promptly kicked the game-winner against Carolina. And when he hurt his hamstring, Matt Wright arrived and made four field goals last week against Las Vegas.

The Chargers had four interceptions off Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins last week, their most since Dec. 6, 2022, against Indianapolis. Tarheeb Still had two of them, returning one 61 yards for a go-ahead touchdown, while Marcus Maye and Derwin James had the others. The one by James with 47 seconds to go sealed the 17-13 victory.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has gone 305 pass attempts without an interception, and he could break the NFL record of 402 set by Aaron Rodgers in just a few more games.

But simply taking care of the ball didn't translate into much offense against the Falcons, who held the Chargers to just 187 yards and without an offensive touchdown.

“The way he protected the ball, whether he was throwing it or in the pocket, when he got hit — no opportunities. Nothing was given there,” Harbaugh said of his quarterback. "I thought he made all the plays that he really could have.”

The Chiefs are beginning perhaps the wildest stretch of the wildest schedule in the NFL this season.

After Sunday night's game, they head to Cleveland, then play Houston six days later Saturday. That game was scheduled on that date so Kansas City could head to Pittsburgh on Christmas for a rare Wednesday kickoff. And the Chiefs' regular-season finale against the Broncos is currently up in the air as a flex game in Week 18.

“It's awkward,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said, “to say the least.”

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Kansas City Chiefs kicker Matthew Wright (49) kicks a field goal from the hold of Matt Araiza during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) holds the recovery ball after a fumble by the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) greets fan following an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) sets back to pass the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) celebrates after an interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) celebrates with teammates after an interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)

HONOLULU (AP) — Nick Taylor in a playoff is tough to beat. Getting there was hardest part for the Canadian, who delivered another highlight reel of clutch moments Sunday in the Sony Open.

Down to his last shot, Taylor chipped in from 60 feet for eagle on the par-5 closing hole at Waialae for a 5-under 65 to get into a playoff with Nico Echavarria.

He holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole. And then he hit a wedge from 46 yards that was close to perfect to set up a 3-foot birdie putt for the win. The last shot might have been the easiest shot he had in the final hour.

“I'm a bit stunned this worked out this way,” Taylor said.

That was true for so many others, starting with Echavarria, the 30-year-old Chilean who delivered some big moments of his own with a 15-foot par save, a 12-foot birdie, and twice getting up-and-down from the bunker at the end for a 65 to join Taylor at 16-under 264.

Behind them were Stephan Jaeger and J.J. Spaun, and the Sony Open looked to come down to them along the back nine until Jaeger piped a drive out-of-bounds on the 16th and Spaun bogeyed from a bunker on the 17th. Both failed to birdie the par-5 18th to join the playoff.

Echavarria was surprised it was only a two-man playoff.

“If Nick doesn't chip in, I win the tournament,” he said.

Echavarria didn't miss a beat in his bid for a third straight year with a PGA Tour title. The bunker shot on the 18th was creative and bold for a tap-in birdie. On the 18th in the first playoff hole, his second shot looked to be about 20 feet away on the fringe for an eagle putt when the wind nudged it down the hill into the rough, forcing him to get up-and-down.

He had 40 feet on the collar for eagle on the second playoff hole at No. 18, and the first putt came out soft and was 7 feet short. He missed the birdie putt to extend the playoff.

“I misjudged the lag putt on the last hole. I didn’t think it was going to be that slow. Didn’t consider the wind,” Echavarria said. “The wind kind of held it and my lag putting today was a little off, which is a strength of mine. But, I mean, just one bad putt can’t define a great week.”

Taylor never looked like a winner — especially after missing a pair of 4-foot birdie putts on the 15th and 16th holes — until he had a lei around his neck and the trophy in his hand. It was his fifth PGA Tour title, the last three in a playoff.

He beat Charley Hoffman in Phoenix last year with clutch putting in a playoff. And it was the Canadian Open in 2023 when Taylor famously holed that 70-foot eagle putt to win his national open before a delirious, rain-soaked crowd.

The victory sends Taylor to the Masters again, a big perk after a dismal end to last season. He moved back to No. 29 in the world and will be in all the signature events this year. None of this seemed possible when he was two behind with two to play coming off two short misses.

“It was just one of those where you try to go until they don't let you play anymore,” Taylor said. "I was 1 over through seven, get on a birdie streak there. It's always so bunched here, but I did a really good job every day really of just hanging in there.

“Fortunate for me, really good things happened at the end.”

Jaeger and Spaun both left Waialae with plenty of regrets. From the time they made the turn, it looked like a duel between them to decide the winner, and they put on a great show until the final three holes.

Jaeger holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the 14th to catch Spaun, who then followed by making a par putt from just inside 30 feet to stay tied for the lead.

Jaeger didn't hit a fairway on the back nine except for an iron off the 15th tee, and it finally caught up with him at the end. He hit driver to cut off the dogleg on the 16th but it went so far left that it was never found, presumed to be out-of-bounds.

“The one on 16 I would like to have back. Wrong hole to hit that shot,” Jaeger said.

Jaeger did well to made bogey off a provisional ball to stay only one behind — Spaun missed a 10-foot birdie putt that would have given him a cushion. And then Spaun made bogey from the bunker on the 17th.

All the while, Echavarria and Taylor rallied in improbable ways.

Jaeger and Spaun needed birdie on the par-5 closing hole to join the playoff. Jaeger hit 3-wood off the tee and didn't clear the bunker, and his second shot hit the lip and left him in the rough some 178 yards away. He went over the green and made par for a 67.

Spaun from the 18th fairway missed to the right, the worst place to be because the pin was cut to the right with the wind at his back. He did well to get it to 10 feet, and then missed the birdie putt and shot 68.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Nick Taylor, of Canada, kisses his trophy after winning the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nick Taylor, of Canada, poses with his trophy after winning the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nick Taylor, of Canada, celebrates with his family after winning the Sony Open golf event in a playoff, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nick Taylor, of Canada, celebrates after winning the Sony Open golf event in a playoff, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, hits from the 17th tee during the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

J.J. Spaun hits from the second teeduring the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

J.J. Spaun reacts after a shot during the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Stephan Jaeger catches a ball from his caddie on the 13th hole during the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nico Echavarria, left, of Columbia, greets Nick Taylor, of Canada, after Taylor made a shot on the 18th green during the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nico Echavarria, left, of Columbia, walks away as Nick Taylor, of Canada, celebrates after winning their playoff in the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nico Echavarria, of Columbia, reacts after missing a shot on the 18th green during a playoff in the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nick Taylor, left, of Canada, is greeted by Nico Echavarria, of Columbia, after winning their playoff during the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nico Echavarria, of Columbia, reacts after making a shot on the 18th green during the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Nick Taylor, of Canada, celebrates after making a shot on the 18th green during the final round of the Sony Open golf event, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Matt York)