Chargers vs. Chiefs: NFL Week 17 Staff Predictions

Cody Young: Week 17 is here. The Chargers injury filled season will come to an end after their game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but KC will be moving on to the playoffs. This seems relatively easy. The Chiefs are fighting for a chance at a first round bye while the Chargers just need to go through the motions for one more week. Easy win for Kansas City, right? Never underestimate an opponent with nothing to lose. I have a feeling the bolts are going to give Alex Smith and his team a run for their money in the final week here. In the end, the Chargers will come up short, but at least it will be an entertaining end to the season.

San Diego Chargers 30 - Kansas City Chiefs 34

Side note: I really hope Melvin Gordon does not play in this game. It's a shame he won't break 1000 rushing yards being so close, but this game is meaningless and his health moving forward is what's most important. Even if he is cleared to play, there simply is no reason for it.

Louis Gorini: At this point who cares right? I'm a cynic at heart, so I don't think the Chargers will give a Rudy-like performance and battle the Chiefs in a tough fought game. This is not the same as last year where the Chargers played a magical game against the Dolphins to give the few San Diego fans a fitting farewell. The Chargers haven't defeated the Chiefs in a long time and unless the offensive line learns how to pass protect overnight I don't see them coming close to upsetting Kansas City this Sunday. Rivers will get battered all game, force some throws and have some costly interceptions. Gates will get one touchdown and in traditional Chargers fashion come up short of the record. So Chargers "fans" want a prediction? In the immortal words of the great Phil Connors (from the movie Groundhogs Day) "You want a prediction about the Chargers, you're asking the wrong Lou. I'll give you a San Diego prediction: It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be gray and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life." Chargers 17 Chiefs 28

Jamie Hoyle: Travis Kelce, Tyreke Hill, Dee Ford, Chris Jones and probably Marcus Peters all have huge days for the Chiefs against a Chargers team that is clearly ready for the offseason to get underway. This will probably be close for a quarter and a half before Alex Smith gets going and the Chiefs pull away. Chiefs 30, Chargers 13.

Roger Hinojosa: I don't see the Chiefs taking the "L" with the AFC West title and a first-round bye on the line. Wouldn't it be great to see the Chargers win and help the Raiders lock up the AFC West title, all while dropping our chances of a higher draft pick in 2017??? It would be the most Chargers thing to do! The Chiefs aren't going to let up this game and this game won't be anything like last year's "last" Chargers home game. The Chargers will ring in the new year with a loss. Chargers lose 27-13

Ruben J. Gonzalez: It’s beginning to feel like it did on that fateful finale in 2011. I had garnered enough bravery to enter the Black Hole to bid a possible farewell to my favorite player Vincent Jackson. I was one of what seemed like only a handful of people donning a Chargers jersey that day. As the final seconds ticked off in that 38-26 San Diego victory, I remember saying proudly “If you leave, thanks, Vincent, It’s been fun.” As we all know, Jackson would sign with the Buccaneers in the offseason, and thus, at least for me, was the beginning of a slow but growing set of disappointments in the organization. Sunday may prove to be the final one. Unfortunately, there is at least a 50% chance that the Chargers leave San Diego for L.A. Which means I may be saying goodbye again. This time to San Diego. Whether the Chargers win or not I guess we’ll have to see what happens, so in the meantime and just in case… “San Diego, it’s been fun”. Chargers 24-Chiefs 23.

Matthew Stanley: The Chargers lose their final game of the season to KC because it is what we deserve. We deserve Mike McCoy to be fired. We deserve another high draft pick. We deserve an easier goodbye to a bad team if they do take the trip up north to LA in the offseason... It's been a long and frustrating season but at least it will finally all be over. The Chargers are going to allow Melvin Gordon to play, so I pray he doesn't hurt himself any further. My biggest hope for this game is 2 TD passes to Gates so he can get the record at home. Chiefs 27 Chargers 21

Richard Wade: I like the Chiefs in this one 24-20 because although the Chiefs are the more talented, better-coached team with more to play for, the Chargers are going to torture their fans one last time by keeping it close until the end because that's what they do. I'll be at the game in the stands hoping they don't get anyone hurt or blow their draft position, but I won't really be shocked if they manage both.

Jeff Siniard: As it pertains to the game itself, the Chiefs are smarter, healthier, more talented, and better coached. KC is also playing for a possible division title and 1st round bye. Meanwhile, everything surrounding the Chargers 2016 season feels completely beaten into the ground. A smart organization, knowing they've already decided to make wholesale changes with the coaching staff, would treat this game like a 5th preseason game. Of course, the Chargers are not that organization, and so they're going to allow Melvin Gordon to stupidly chase 1,000 yards, allow Rivers and Gates to chase the all-time TE TD reception record, and keep them on the field late in a game they have no business playing in and nothing to gain. As always, I think the Chargers will hang around, but it won't be enough in front of what I believe will be a mostly indifferent crowd. I'll be okay with it as long as no one gets hurt and McCoy is out within 24 hours of the season being over. Chiefs 27, Chargers 16.

Ryan Doyle: The Chargers are going to be 5-11 and have a top ten draft pick yet again. The Chiefs still have something to play for and are going to come after Philip Rivers. With Rivers running for his dear life, the Bolts offense is going to struggle to get anything going. The Chiefs offense has also had some life of late and Tyreek Hill could have a few game breaking plays. Chargers 10, Chiefs 31