How the Chargers Defense is Preparing For Patrick Mahomes in Week 1

The Chargers defense will get their first test against Mahomes and the Chiefs to open the 2025 season

Sep 02, 2025 at 05:44 PM

Omar Navarro

Jr. Writer

There's an element of the unknown heading into Week 1 with every roster looking different than a year ago.

What's not unknown for the Chargers is who will be under center for the Chiefs in Patrick Mahomes and the challenge he presents for the defense heading into Friday's season opener.

"Going against [No.] 15 on the other side, he's going to extend plays," cornerback Tarheeb Still said on Tuesday. "We've got to do our job."

The Bolts know Mahomes very well as a division rival, and will get their first test against him in 2025 from the jump.

Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter got his first experience going up against the Chiefs quarterback last season and held their offense to a combined 36 points across the two matchups.

But what has made him as dangerous as they come throughout his time in the NFL, and what Minter saw at times last season, has been what he's able to do when he extends the play and begins to scramble.

The defensive playcaller said on Tuesday when facing Mahomes, there's a balance his unit must find when trying to limit him and not let him create explosive plays out of the pocket.

"We certainly know what he's capable of in the sense of how you need to try to rush him, how you need to try to keep him from trying to make those Patrick Mahomes-esque plays," Minter said. "While at the same time cutting it loose and playing fast, not playing too timid or hesitant because we're scare of him getting out.

"I think it's a fine line," he added. "I think our guys are well prepared for the challenge."

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#0 | LB | Daiyan Henley

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#0 | LB | Daiyan Henley

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#1 | WR | Quentin Johnston

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#1 | WR | Quentin Johnston

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#2 | DB | Elijah Molden

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#2 | DB | Elijah Molden

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#3 | S | Derwin James, Jr.

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#3 | S | Derwin James, Jr.

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#5 | QB | Trey Lance

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#5 | QB | Trey Lance

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#6 | LB | Denzel Perryman

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#6 | LB | Denzel Perryman

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#8 | QB | Omarion Hampton

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#8 | QB | Omarion Hampton

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#9 | WR | Tre' Harris

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#9 | WR | Tre' Harris

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#10 | QB | Justin Herbert

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#10 | QB | Justin Herbert

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#11 | K | Cameron Dicker

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#11 | K | Cameron Dicker

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#12 | WR | Derius Daivs

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#12 | WR | Derius Daivs

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#13 | WR | Keenan Allen

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#13 | WR | Keenan Allen

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#15 | WR | Ladd McConkey

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#15 | WR | Ladd McConkey

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#16 | P | JK Scott

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#16 | P | JK Scott

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#20 | CB | Cam Hart

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#20 | CB | Cam Hart

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#22 | RB | Najee Harris

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#22 | RB | Najee Harris

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#24 | CB | Benjamin St-Juste

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#24 | CB | Benjamin St-Juste

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#26 | CB | Donte Jackson

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#26 | CB | Donte Jackson

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#27 | S | RJ Mickens

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#27 | S | RJ Mickens

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#28 | RB | Hassan Haskins

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#28 | RB | Hassan Haskins

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#29 | CB | Tarheeb Still

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#29 | CB | Tarheeb Still

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#32 | S | Alohi Gilman

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#32 | S | Alohi Gilman

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#36 | DB | Ja'Sir Taylor

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#36 | DB | Ja'Sir Taylor

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#40 | S | Kendall Williamson

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#40 | S | Kendall Williamson

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#42 | TE | Tucker Fisk

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#42 | TE | Tucker Fisk

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#43 | LB | Troy Dye

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#43 | LB | Troy Dye

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#44 | FB/DL | Scott Matlock

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#44 | FB/DL | Scott Matlock

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#45 | OLB | Tuli Tuipulotu

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#45 | OLB | Tuli Tuipulotu

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#46 | CB | Nikko Reed

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#46 | CB | Nikko Reed

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#48 | OLB | Bud Dupree

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#48 | OLB | Bud Dupree

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#50 | OLB | Caleb Murphy

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#50 | OLB | Caleb Murphy

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#52 | OLB | Khalil Mack

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#52 | OLB | Khalil Mack

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#53 | LB | Del'Shawn Phillips

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#53 | LB | Del'Shawn Phillips

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#54 | OLB | Kyle Kennard

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#54 | OLB | Kyle Kennard

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#58 | LB | Marlowe Wax

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#58 | LB | Marlowe Wax

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#68 | OL | Jamaree Salyer

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#68 | OL | Jamaree Salyer

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#73 | G | Mekhi Becton

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#73 | G | Mekhi Becton

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#74 | T | Austin Deculus

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#74 | T | Austin Deculus

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#75 | C | Bradley Bozeman

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#75 | C | Bradley Bozeman

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#76 | T | Joe Alt

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#76 | T | Joe Alt

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#77 | G | Zion Johnson

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#77 | G | Zion Johnson

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#78 | C | Andre James

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#78 | C | Andre James

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#79 | G/T | Trey Pipkins III

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#79 | G/T | Trey Pipkins III

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#83 | TE | Tyler Conklin

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#83 | TE | Tyler Conklin

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#84 | WR | KeAndre Lambert-Smith

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#84 | WR | KeAndre Lambert-Smith

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#86 | TE | Oronde Gadsden

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#86 | TE | Oronde Gadsden

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#89 | TE | Will Dissly

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#89 | TE | Will Dissly

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#90 | DL | Tear Tart

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#90 | DL | Tear Tart

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#91 | DL | Da'Shawn Hand

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#91 | DL | Da'Shawn Hand

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#92 | DL | Justin Eboigbe

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#92 | DL | Justin Eboigbe

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#93 | DL | Otito Ogbonnia

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#93 | DL | Otito Ogbonnia

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#96 | DL | Naquan Jones

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#96 | DL | Naquan Jones

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#99 | DT | Jamaree Caldwell

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#99 | DT | Jamaree Caldwell

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#7 | RB | DJ Uiagalelei

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#7 | RB | DJ Uiagalelei

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#23 | S | Tony Jefferson

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#23 | S | Tony Jefferson

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#30 | RB | Kimani Vidal

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#30 | RB | Kimani Vidal

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#31 | RB | Nyheim Miller-Hines

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#31 | RB | Nyheim Miller-Hines

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#34 | RB | Amar Johnson

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#34 | RB | Amar Johnson

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#35 | CB | Myles Purchase

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#35 | CB | Myles Purchase

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#38 | LB | Emany Johnson

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#38 | LB | Emany Johnson

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#41 | LS | Rick Lovato

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#41 | LS | Rick Lovato

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#49 | TE | Thomas Yassmin

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#49 | TE | Thomas Yassmin

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#63 | C | Josh Kaltenberger

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#63 | C | Josh Kaltenberger

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#67 | OL | Foster Sarell

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#67 | OL | Foster Sarell

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#71 | G | Branson Taylor

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#71 | G | Branson Taylor

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#72 | OT | David Sharpe

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#72 | OT | David Sharpe

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#82 | WR | JaQuae Jackson

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#82 | WR | JaQuae Jackson

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#87 | WR | Luke Grimm

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#87 | WR | Luke Grimm

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#94 | DL | TeRah Edwards

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#94 | DL | TeRah Edwards

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#97 | OLB | Garmon Randolph

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#97 | OLB | Garmon Randolph

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#88 | WR | Jalen Reagor

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#88 | WR | Jalen Reagor

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#25 | LB | Junior Colson

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#25 | LB | Junior Colson

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#37 | CB | Jordan Oladokun

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#37 | CB | Jordan Oladokun

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#39 | CB | Eric Rogers

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#39 | CB | Eric Rogers

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#69 | DL | Josh Fuga

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#69 | DL | Josh Fuga

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#70 | T | Rashawn Slater

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#70 | T | Rashawn Slater

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#33 | DB | Deane Leonard

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#33 | DB | Deane Leonard

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#47 | LS | Josh Harris

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#47 | LS | Josh Harris

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#67 | T | Savion Washington

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#67 | T | Savion Washington

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Mahomes had the second-best Pro Football Focus run grade (92.1) last season when he got over 2.5 seconds in the pocket, as he did a lot of damage with his legs if he took off.

But his ability to also extend plays through the air if he gets the time is something the secondary is well-aware of.

They know there could be two parts of the same play if he holds the ball.

"Really just doing our job knowing he's going to extend plays, create second plays," Still said. "So doing a good job on the first play, then plastering. Having fun, going out there and balling. I feel like the guys are happy this is a real game that counts."

Benjamin St-Juste added: "He's good at scrambling and making plays happen, the play is never done. The average play is six seconds, it might be 10 with him, so stay on your receiver."

Of course, that goes hand in hand with another major deciding factor against the Kansas City offense — getting off the field on third down.

The Chiefs offense has ranked in the top three in third down conversion percentage six out of the last seven seasons, including a number of top finishes.