KC Chiefs have been good at stopping opposing RBs. LA Chargers have a good one

The Chiefs rank near the middle of the pack in rushing yards allowed per game.

But when it comes to slowing an opponent’s leading rusher, no team is doing it better.

The featured running backs for the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons produced their lowest output of the season, respectively, against the Chiefs.

That will be the objective in Week 4, when the Chiefs visit the Los Angeles Chargers and lead running back J.K. Dobbins. He’s the NFL’s third-leading rusher with 310 yards and tops the league with 7.4 yards per carry.

“It’s a big pride point for us,” Chiefs safety Justin Reid said. “An offense that can run on a defense never needs to pass it, so first and foremost you have to stop the run.”

In terms of stopping opposing running backs, that’s happened. Last weekend, the Chiefs clinched their third straight victory when linebacker Nick Bolton got to the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson for a 3-yard loss on fourth-and-1 from the KC 13.

Leo Chenal helped finish off the stop that preserved the 22-17 victory.

Robinson averaged 1.9 yards per attempt for the game. A week earlier, the Bengals’ Zack Moss went for 38 yards and a 2.8-yard average. And in the Chiefs’ opener, they held Derrick Henry of the Ravens to 46 yards and 3.5 per carry.

“It’s everybody buying into the concept: Build, set, track,” Chenal said.

Let Chenal explain.

“Build the wall. Set the edge. Track the hit,” he said. “That’s instilled in us all off season, training camp, preseason. Everybody buys into that idea.”

So why aren’t the Chiefs ranked higher than 13th in rushing yards allowed per game? It basically comes down to Lamar Jackson’s big game in the opener. Jackson rushed for 112 yards, putting the Ravens on his back while trying to avenge Baltimore’s AFC Championship Game loss to the Chiefs.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert doesn’t pose the same threat. But Dobbins has been a force. He rushed for 135 yards in the opener against the Las Vegas Raiders, and followed that with a 131-yard effort against the Carolina Panthers.

He scored a touchdown in each game and became the first player in franchise history to open the season with consecutive 100-yard games.

A strong running game is what new Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh had in mind when he arrived after leading Michigan to the College Football Playoff championship. Things got off track last weekend when Dobbins and the Chargers were slowed in a 20-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a game in which Los Angeles suffered numerous injuries.

Quarterback Justin Herbert aggravated an ankle sprain. Starting tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt could be out with injuries.

The Chiefs say they’ll prep for the Chargers’ scheme, and it will start with Dobbins and the running game.

“We’re not worried about who’s in, who’s out,” Chenal said. “They have a run game going, and we’ve got to shut it down. We’re going to start with that and go from there.”