If the Chargers want to be kings of the AFC West, they know they have to take the crown from the reigning champs – the Kansas City Chiefs.
However, that's no easy task.
It's no secret KC has had the Bolts' number of late.
In fact, the Chiefs have won eight straight games against them, sweeping the last four-season series with the Chargers' last victory coming Week 17 in 2013.
So, what better way to set a tone for the 2018 season than to take them on at home?
"That first opponent, that's always exciting to learn who you are going to play first," mentioned Head Coach Anthony Lynn. "We've got Kansas City, and that's going to be a heck of a challenge for us. They won our division last year. We're very familiar with them, and they're familiar with us. It should be a good ballgame…. That team is going to tell us a lot about ourselves right off the bat."
That's the mindset of the entire locker room after learning they get to host Kansas City to begin the season.
"Our goal is to win the AFC West," said Russell Okung. "Week 1 is a statement game for what we want to be the rest of the year. There's no better opponent. There's no better challenge than these guys."
Travis Benjamin and Philip Rivers echoed those same sentiments.
"It's going to be a great game for us knowing that we haven't beaten them for years," said Benjamin. "To open up and take our anger out on those guys, going to get the first division win under our belt, the road is ours from there."
"Like any year, the first thing you look for is who you open with," added Rivers. "Seeing that we open at home against the Chiefs, who have dominated our division the last couple years, it's exciting to start the year against them at StubHub Center."
The game will be particularly meaningful for Hunter Henry, whose season came to an end last year in Week 15 against the Chiefs.
"That was my last game last year, so to get to start with them is pretty cool," he said. "I'm excited to go back out there again against them. I also like being able to face them at home. I've travelled on the road away for the first game my first two years, so it's pretty cool to start out here and hopefully the fans will be pretty rowdy for that first game. It'll be exciting."
Then, like the rest of his teammates, Henry noted the importance of making a statement right off the bat.
"It's awesome because my rookie year two years ago we started out against them, got up on them, and then they came back and ended up beating us. They're a team we are looking at to beat to win the division. We haven't beaten them in a while. It's been too long. So, it's definitively good and gives us extra motivation going into OTAs and training camp. It lights a fire under us because we were right there with them last year at the finish."
Available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis for the first time in more than a year, new 2018 Season Ticket Memberships for the team's nine-game home slate at StubHub Center. Additionally, starting today, the Chargers have also made a limited number of single-game tickets available for purchase in select locations. To purchase a Season Ticket Membership or select single-game tickets, fans can visit www.fightforla.com/stubhub
