Chargers (6-9) at Chiefs (14-1)
Sunday, 4:25 ET, at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo. TV: Fox
Danny Sheridan’s line: Chargers by 3
Chiefs’ keys to victory: Need a solid game plan from their assistant coaches. In meaningless Week 17 games, Andy Reid has historically handed the reins over to his coaching staff as he begins advanced preparation for the playoffs. That means offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and QB coach Mike Kafka will have a chance to prove themselves worthy of headcoaching jobs against a tough AFC West opponent.
Chargers’ keys to victory: Need to find the weak spot in the Chiefs defense and exploit it. After clinching the No. 1 seed in Week 16, Kansas City will be playing a lot of backups and depth players. There will obviously be a weak link within that group that a team composed of starters can exploit. If it’s in the secondary, they need not be bashful about lining up WR against that player every snap. If they’re struggling to stop the run, hand the ball off to RB Austin Ekeler early and often.
Matchup to watch: Chargers QB Justin Herbert vs. Chiefs CB BoPete Keyes. When these teams met in Week 2, Kansas City didn’t have an opportunity to prepare for Herbert. They were expecting Tyrod Taylor, who didn’t play after a botched injection punctured his lung. This time the team will have a full week to prepare and a season’s worth of tape to go off. The only question is which players will actually get a chance to face Herbert.
Who wins? Should be a competitive game as Chargers coach Anthony Lynn fights for his job while Bieniemy and Kafka audition for new ones.
Chiefs 30-27