KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs are missing their star running back, likely without his backup and could have their top two wide receivers hobbled or shelved for their crucial AFC West showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.

They still have Patrick Mahomes, though.

And they’re still playing the Chargers.

Yes, the Chargers (10-3) are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, having won three straight and nine of 10 to close within a game of Kansas City (11-2) in the division race.

But the Chargers also have had about as much luck against the Chiefs as the Redskins have had with quarterbacks this year, losing nine straight and many of them in lopsided fashion.

That includes this season’s opener in Los Angeles, when Mahomes announced his arrival to the NFL with his first four touchdown passes in the Chiefs’ 38-28 victory.

“We’re familiar with this group, but they do so many things. It’s never easy going up against Kansas City,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said.

“Go back to September. You can go back to last year, to 2017, when we lost to those guys twice — same things. They are just really good.”

The Chiefs can clinch their third straight AFC West title and a first-round bye in the playoffs with a win. But even with a loss, the Chiefs would hold the tiebreaker over the Chargers by virtue of their better division record. Los Angeles needs a win to clinch its first postseason trip since the 2013 season.

“Both teams are going to be all hyped up and ready to go,” said Chiefs coach Andy Reid.