The Chargers can't seem to catch the Chiefs

The Chargers have now lost seven straight games to the Kansas City Chiefs after losing in the final seconds 19-17 last Sunday on Sunday Night Football.

Once again, the Chargers were so close to knocking off the defending champions and prolonging them from winning the AFC West.

But we saw what's typical in the latest matchups between the Chiefs and Chargers. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and the Chiefs were the last team with the ball and drove down the field for the game-winning field goal that bounced off the cross bar.

In six of their seven straight losses to Kansas City, the Chargers were defeated by just one score. This loss for the Chargers is their eighth loss in the last 10 games against the Chiefs. Mahomes is now 10-2 against the Chargers in his career.

The Chiefs seem like the puzzle that the Chargers can't solve. Different coaches, new players and even a brand-new stadium has not helped the Chargers with their divisional rival.

In their two games this season against the Chiefs Los Angeles lost by a combined nine points. Poor decisions, missed plays and just sheer bad luck led to these losses. Last Sunday night those decisions and mistakes were present.

It started early in the game for the Chargers who decided to punt the ball on their first offensive drive when they were in range for a 57-yard field goal by reliable kicker Cameron Dicker. Not making the right decision at the right time against the Chiefs is not going to help you beat Kansas City and coach Jim Harbaugh knew that was a mistake after the game.

"Probably should've gone the other way," Harbaugh said on Monday at his press conference. "If I had to do it over again... I would love the opportunity to try something different."

Late in the game after kicking a field goal to give the Chargers a lead with less than five minutes left in the game, Dicker had a chance to try to pin the Chiefs deep on the ensuing kickoff and he made another costly mistake. He mishit the kick, and it did't not reach the landing zone so Los Angeles was penalized and the Chiefs were able to start their game-winning drive from the 40-yard line.

Harbaugh said after the game "He just hit it a little bit high, high on the ball-rare mistake."

The offense has had their troubles during the last two match ups with the Chiefs. They started fast in the Week 4 matchup when they jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first half but didn't score the rest of the way. In Sunday night's loss the offense did't score until the second half.

"We just had to settle in," said Herbert, who went 21 of 30 for 213 yards and a touchdown last Sunday. "We did't make enough plays in the first half and we did't execute the way we wanted to. Pass game, run game, we were not moving the ball well. That's on us and I praise the guys for staying in there, staying patient and making plays in the second half."

The Chargers are hoping to take away some key lessons from their two matchups with the Chiefs. "The biggest thing is that we can't get comfortable. It's a four-quarter fight," linebacker Daiyan Henley said. "We have to be able to throw that knockout punch and finish these type of [games]. This is a team (Chiefs) that wins at the wire and if we are going to be in games like this. We have to be able to win."

Los Angeles will now only hope to get another opportunity to face the Chiefs in the playoffs. Until then they are looking to finish strong as they make a playoff push. Before the playoffs the Chargers play four more winnable against the Buccaneers at home on Sunday at 1:25 p.m., the play another home game against the Broncos on Thursday night football at 5:15 p.m. and the have two road games against the Patriots and the Raiders to finish the regular season.