The Chiefs Will Need Another Big Performance From Top Rookie

There weren't a lot of positives to be taken away from the Kansas City Chiefs' Week 14 loss. Their playoff chances were on the line, and now their fate isn't in their hands. They have to hope that the teams with records better than 6-7 start to lose a lot.

If they're going to make the playoffs, it's an absolute must that they win every game from here on out. That begins in Week 15 with a divisional rematch against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers may have shocked the Chiefs in the season-opening game in Brazil, but the Chiefs should have a better grasp of what to expect from Justin Herbert and the Chargers.

Rookie of the Week

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) lowers his head during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Jim Wyman writes for Pro Football Focus, and he wrote an article breaking down the top rookie performances in Week 14. Nohl Williams stepped up in place of Trent McDuffie when he went down with an injury against the Houston Texans, and they're going to need him to do it again against the Chargers.

"The Chiefs have been one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL this season, but they may have found a third-round gem in Williams. Despite limited playing time, Williams has experienced three games with PFF coverage grades over 90.0. His performance against the Texans wasn’t quite that stellar, but he still put up a solid 73.7 PFF coverage grade on 34 such snaps", said Wyman.

The Chiefs are dealing with plenty of injuries heading into their rematch with the Chargers, but it's not like they're the healthiest either. The Chargers may be without Quentin Johnston, as he's been listed as questionable for their game against the Chiefs, and would be a loss to their passing game.

Johnston was responsible for two touchdowns against the Chiefs the last time these two teams met, so his not being able to play would be a massive advantage for the Chiefs. Johnston being out places even more of an emphasis on Williams' performance, as he needs to stop Herbert from airing the ball out.

Dec 8, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) pass against the Philadelphia Eagles in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Herbert is dealing with a hand injury as well, and one of the ways the Chiefs can walk away with a victory is by bottlenecking their offense into purely rushing the ball. The Chargers can run the ball successfully, but one of the biggest reasons why they beat them the first time around is that they were unable to stop Herbert's arm on third downs and kept their defense on the field.

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