The Chargers trail 13-10 at halftime against Kansas City.
Here are a few things to take away from the first half.
Defensive struggle
The Chargers and Chiefs have combined for only 254 yards in the first half and both teams struggled to move the ball outside of their final drives of the half. 125 yards of the game came in those final two drives, which also resulted in a Chiefs field goal and a Chargers touchdown. The difference is a field goal the Chiefs earned when Justin Herbert was turned over, with Drue Tranquill hitting Herbert’s arm as he threw, causing an interception to rookie edge rusher Ashton Gillotte.
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Offensive line situation
The Chiefs entered this game with three backup offensive linemen in the starting lineup, including both tackles. Right tackle Jaylon Moore was injured early in the first quarter on an illegal low block by Derwin James Jr., but he returned before getting injured again when Teair Tart hit him as Tart pursued a screen pass on the final Chiefs drive of the second quarter. Moore’s backup is Chukwuebuka Godrick, an International Pathway Program player who is active for his first career game. Patrick Mahomes has already been sacked twice, both by Tuli Tuipulotu, and that matchup advantage could continue to be important in the second half.
Run game issues
The Chargers have struggled to get the ground game going, a bigger concern than normal considering Herbert’s broken left hand and the cold weather in Kansas City on Sunday. Omarion Hampton has taken six carries but only been able to generate 8 yards, while Kimani Vidal has been a bit more productive with 24 yards on five attempts. Overall, Los Angeles is averaging only 2.8 yards per carry in the first half despite their commitment to running the ball. Finding better results in the second half to keep the ball away from Mahomes and the Chiefs as much as possible will be crucial.
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Hits piling up
The Chiefs have already hit Herbert 7 times in the first half, including sacks by Jaylen Watson and Charles Omenihu. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has committed most of his bodies to the line of scrimmage to create pressure looks while trusting his secondary to hold up just long enough in coverage. Tranquill’s hit of Herbert that forced the interception came on an unblocked pressure where the Chargers did not have enough blockers for the number of rushers Kansas City sent, for example. The offensive line has had its issues, but LA also needs to find some quicker pass concepts or get the run game going to ease some of the heat on their quarterback.
Rookie receivers step up
Sunday’s game felt at risk of slipping away when the Chiefs drove 65 yards in 2:12 to kick a field goal and go up 13-10 with 38 seconds left in the first half. LA had struggled to move the ball all day, but rookie wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith’s 34-yard kickoff return to the Chargers’ 40-yard line presented a smidge of hope that Los Angeles could at least answer the field goal before the halftime break. Second-rounder Tre’ Harris stepped up on second down to secure a diving sideline catch for 37 yards to firmly put the Chargers into field goal range, then Lambert-Smith took his place after Harris had the wind knocked out of him by landing on the ball. Herbert found the fifth-round pick for a 16-yard touchdown, the first of his career and only his second reception of the season. Both Harris and Lambert-Smith are in their roles due to injury – Quentin Johnston is out with a hamstring issue and returner Derius Davis is out with an ankle injury.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers vs. Chiefs: First-half takeaways from Week 15 game