Each week we'll take a look at the Chiefs upcoming opponent and talk about two players that we'd love to have wearing a Chiefs uniform. This week the Chiefs take on the perennial AFC West favorite, San Diego Chargers. When the Chiefs and Chargers first met this season it was the Chiefs that were hanging by a thread after two embarrassing losses to the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions to start the season. The Chiefs lost 20-17 to the Chargers in week three and the game ended on a Matt Cassel interception that fell right into the hands of Chargers' safety, Eric Weddle.
Weddle also happens to be one of the guys that I would take first off of the Chargers roster to add to the Chiefs. The Chargers are a very talented team and they have superior talent at some of the key positions on the field, especially with some of the Chiefs' injuries right now. And while Philip Rivers has consistently been one of the best QB's in the NFL over the past few years, he hasn't played at that level thus far this season. It's not that I think Matt Cassel is better than Rivers, but there are better options at the present time the way people are playing that we could add to our team. Even when Eric Berry comes back from injury it would be a unfair secondary for the Chiefs to have both Berry and Weddle on the field at the same time. Add Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr and it's over. Good luck taking on that secondary.
The next position that I would add is at running back. It's too easy to say Ryan Matthews though and each week we'll have a 'not-so-obvious' pick, and Tolbert is that pick for me this week. Tolbert is an absolute load to bring down and is surprisingly impressive catching passes out of the backfield for a guy his size. He's fourth on the Chargers team in receiving yards with 231 yards so far this season. While Matthews is having an impressive sophomore season, which followed a not-so-impressive rookie campaign, Tolbert hasn't been asked to carry the ball the same way he was last year. Splitting carries between Jamaal Charles, Mike Tolbert, Jackie Battle and Dexter McCluster would be a well-rounded running back crew. Add Le'Ron McClain in front of them leading the way and you have a special group.
There are other players on the Chargers roster that could help the Chiefs but I'd start with these two as the teams are set right now and how the players have played so far this season. Normally it'd be easy to add Rivers to this list but he hasn't been all that impressive so far this year. And while many people want to talk about the teams the Chiefs have beaten so far this season and how beating the Vikings and Colts isn't that impressive, even a McFadden-less and QB-less Raiders team. Look at who the Chargers have beaten so far this year (besides the Chiefs). They've beat the Vikings, Dolphins and Broncos along with the Chiefs. That's not exactly an impressive resume by any means. They've lost to the only two 'good' teams they've played so far this year in the New England Patriots and New York Jets.
Arrowhead stadium should be rocking on Monday Night and the AFC West division champion could very well be determined by the outcome of this game. It's going to be a good one.