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One of the story lines in San Diego this week as the Chargers prepare to play the Kansas City Chiefs is that the defending division champs aren't to be taken lightly. The Chargers have been saying all week that, despite the Chiefs 0-2 start, KC is still the division champs and they merit the respect of San Diego until they're unseated as champs.
Reading through the San Diego media, Chargers players apparently having to convince the media and fans that they're not taking the Chiefs lightly.
"They're the division champs, and they took it to us pretty good in Week 1 of last year," Chargers fullback Jacob Hester said. "I don't know how other teams would take it, but we see Kansas City on top of the mountain until someone formally knocks them off. We honestly expect a four-quarter fight. I swear to you, that's not just smoke."
The Chiefs best shot in this game would be the Chargers underestimating them (which, I'm not even sure is possible with the Chiefs right now).
Apparently, the Chargers are trying not to avoid that. They can say what they want but history says the Chargers start slow so we'll see what happens today.