Chargers may have already blown AFC West chances with inexplicable mistake

The Los Angeles Chargers finished in second place in the AFC West last season, four games behind the Kansas City Chiefs, who have captured nine straight division titles.

Heading into 2025, however, there are some who feel that the Chargers could potentially and the Chiefs' reign, as Kansas City looked awfully vulnerable in the Super Bowl back in February.

Of course, in order for Los Angeles to best the Chiefs for AFC West supremacy, it would strongly benefit the Chargers to win at least one of their two regular-season matchups with Kansas City.

Given how difficult it is to win at Arrowhead Stadium, LA definitely stands a better chance to "steal" a a game against the Chiefs at SoFi Stadium, but that's just the problem: the Chargers apparently won't be hosting Patrick Mahomes and Co. in Los Angeles next fall.

The NFL schedule is set to be released later tonight, and rumor has it that the Bolts will be facing the Chiefs in Brazil in Week 1. But here's the problem: that is a "home" game for the Chargers, meaning that they will be "hosting" Kansas City at a neutral site.

Why? Because Los Angeles inexplicably left its home matchup with the Chiefs unprotected. The NFL allows teams to protect two home contests, and you would have thought the Chargers would have opted to preserve their critical matchup versus Kansas City, right?

Well, evidently, Los Angeles thought otherwise, and now, the Bolts have just lost a major edge in this rivalry game. The Chargers have actually gained ground on the Chiefs since last year, but it still would be nice to have home-field advantage against them once.

If Los Angeles loses a close one in its season opener and ultimately loses the division by one game, it may end up kicking itself come January.