Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs maintain their supremacy in the AFC West.

The Chiefs emerged victorious against the Los Angeles Chargers with a score of 19-17 on Sunday night. This marks their seventh straight win over the Chargers, and their triumph secured the franchise’s ninth consecutive AFC West title. This achievement ranks as the second-longest division title streak in NFL history, surpassed only by the New England Patriots’ 11 consecutive AFC East titles.

With this win, the Chiefs have boosted their record to 51-8 against AFC West rivals since 2015.

Currently holding the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Chiefs are in a strong position as they gear up for the remaining four regular-season games.

Below are the highlights and lowlights from this thrilling AFC West showdown:

WINNERS

Chiefs

The back-to-back Super Bowl champions have held the top position in the AFC West for nine years now. If this trend continues, they might soon set the record for the most consecutive division titles in NFL history.

Home-field Advantage for Kansas City

The Chiefs are currently two games clear of the Buffalo Bills (10-3), who suffered a surprise loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Although Buffalo holds the tiebreaker in head-to-head matchups, it increasingly seems that the path to the Super Bowl in the AFC will lead through Kansas City.

Chiefs Defense

The Chiefs’ defense truly deserves praise. They managed to keep the Chargers scoreless in the first half.

Although Justin Herbert and the Chargers found some rhythm after halftime, they were ultimately limited to just 17 points.

Throughout the first and second quarters, Herbert faced constant pressure. He even had to step out briefly during the second quarter after taking a hard hit.

The Chiefs achieved three sacks on Herbert and recorded seven quarterback hits throughout the match.

Defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton excelled with two sacks, while cornerback Trent McDuffie added two pass deflections to the mix.

Isiah Pacheco

While Pacheco’s statistics may not be eye-popping, the Chiefs’ offense functions better with him on the field.

Pacheco fought hard for yards, accruing 55 yards on 14 carries.

This was Pacheco’s most effective game since returning from injured reserve last week.

Matthew Wright

Wright has proven to be a reliable kicker in place of Harrison Butker, who is on injured reserve due to a calf injury.

He successfully converted all four of his field goal attempts on Sunday night, including a critical 31-yard game-winner that just barely grazed the upright.

Patrick Mahomes

Mahomes deserves kudos for skillfully managing the game despite facing significant pressure.

With less than two minutes left in the game, Mahomes made a pivotal play by evading Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley and finding tight end Travis Kelce for a key nine-yard pass. This helped Kansas City run down the clock to set up their game-winning field goal.

Mahomes ended the game with 24 completions on 37 attempts, totaling 210 yards and one touchdown.

LOSERS

Trey Pipkins, Chargers Interior O-Line

While Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are solid players at the tackle positions, the interior of the Chargers’ offensive line presents significant challenges.

Pipkins struggled at right guard, allowing persistent pressure. Chris Jones and the Chiefs’ defensive line exploited weaknesses in left guard Zion Johnson, center Bradley Bozeman, and Pipkins. Herbert was forced out of the game temporarily after suffering a heavy hit in the second quarter, as he faced constant pressure throughout the match.

Chargers’ First Half Offense

The absence of running back J.K. Dobbins and wide receiver Ladd McConkey was keenly felt by the Chargers.

Los Angeles failed to score in the first half, managing only six first downs.

This marked the third time in Herbert’s career that he was held scoreless in the first half.

Chargers, Broncos, and Raiders

With the Chiefs capturing the AFC West title for nine consecutive seasons, this series of victories reflects poorly on the Chargers, Broncos, and Raiders.

As noted earlier, the Chiefs hold an impressive 51-8 record against AFC West teams since 2015.

The Chiefs’ stranglehold on the AFC West for nearly a decade highlights the struggles of their division rivals.