The Kansas City Chiefs (5-5) continued their surge back into the AFC playoff picture with a 33-3 win over the San Diego Chargers (2-8). Here's what you need to know:
- This game was over when Justin Houston picked off a Philip Rivers pass in the third quarter and returned the interception 16 yards for a touchdown to put the game into blowout territory. Houston read Rivers' eyes, jumped the screen and took off for the end zone. Instincts and athleticism galore.
- Mike McCoy's seat has to be getting warm. The Chargers have lost six straight and were totally flat and non-competitive in their own building. The mental and physical mistakes -- and there were plenty -- can't all be put at the head coach's feet, but you have to wonder if the team is responding to McCoy. Chargers brass will have to answer that question in January.
- Spencer Ware gave the Chiefs a serious lift when Charcandrick West left the game with a hamstring injury. Ware rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries. Turns out Kansas City's running game is much more than the injured Jamaal Charles. That depth may have saved their season.
- Alex Smith had just five incompletions in 25 attempts and was Kansas City's second-leading rusher. He hasn't thrown an interception since Week 3. Nobody likes to be called a "game manager", but Smith can be damn good at, well, managing a game.
- Think the Chargers have drafter's remorse about Melvin Gordon yet? The running back was quiet again (37 yards on 15 carries), giving Rivers no support on the ground. It's gotten bad enough that a broken tackle in the first half was worthy of a line in our notepad.
