AFC title game braces for a sub-zero chill
Break out the parkas for Sunday night’s AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium.
The National Weather Service is projecting an arctic blast to settle over Kansas City for the Chiefs’ game against the New England Patriots. Temperatures at kickoff could range from 10 degrees to well below zero, potentially making it the coldest game in Arrowhead Stadium history.
Twice it has been 1 degree at kickoff, including a December 2016 game against Tennessee.
Both teams are accustomed to cold, inclement weather, though. The Chiefs experienced some of it this past weekend, when heavy snow blanketed Kansas City and knocked out power to thousands of people.
The snow stopped just before kickoff, though, and the field was in good shape for their 31-13 victory over the Colts.
The wind chill was in the teens for the Patriots’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
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Patriots: While Tom Brady has not shown accelerated signs of decline at age 41, coach Bill Belichick is taking a more balanced approach to offense in this postseason with renewed emphasis on the running game.
Sony Michel, a South Florida product from American Heritage Plantation, scored three touchdowns and rushed for 129 yards in Sunday’s win against the Chargers. The three scores were the most ever by a Patriots rookie in a playoff game.
Michel’s backfield mates were equally active. Rex Burkhead added a 6-yard TD run and James White’s 15 catches tied Darren Sproles for the most receptions in a single game in NFL playoff history. White is a Fort Lauderdale native who played in high school for St. Thomas Aquinas.
Broncos: Mike Munchak, who had been a finalist for Denver’s head coaching job, is making a lateral move from the Steelers to serve as Denver’s offensive line coach, according to a source.
The same source said the Broncos are allowing Gary Kubiak to interview elsewhere and have received permission to interview 49ers QBs coach Rich Scangarello for their offensive coordinator opening. Kubiak was expected to run Denver’s offense for new head coach Vic Fangio, so the Broncos initially denied other teams’ overtures to interview him.
Browns: New coach Freddie Kitchens hired Todd Monken as offensive coordinator and Steve Wilks to run his defense.
Monken spent the past three years with Tampa Bay — the Buccaneers ranked first in passing yardage per game (320.3) and were 12th in points. Monken called plays, but Kitchens is expected to keep that duty following his eight-game run as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator.
Wilks was recently fired after going 3-13 in one season as Arizona’s coach. He spent 12 years as a secondary coach before becoming Carolina’s coordinator in 2017.
Eagles: Nick Foles fell 27 yards short of leading Philadelphia to a third straight comeback win in the postseason. His next opportunity likely will come in a different uniform. Carson Wentz is the team’s quarterback going forward, and Foles is looking forward to exploring his options. The Eagles must decide by mid-February if they want to exercise a $20 million option to keep Foles for 2019. But Foles could decline it and pay back $2 million to become a free agent. The Dolphins have been mentioned among teams that may be interested in his services.
Philadelphia could put a franchise tag on Foles, though $23 million to $25 million is a hefty price for a backup.
“Having the option to be a free agent is extremely important,” he said. “Technically, I’m really not under contract right now and that’s something we’ll discuss in the future. It’s a unique situation, it’s a good situation for this team to have. … I have a great relationship with this team and that’s genuine.”
Bears: General manager Ryan Pace wouldn’t say if kicker Cody Parkey will return for another season, and coach Matt Nagy called out the struggling kicker for appearing on the “Today” show last week. The appearance was just days after the kicker’s potential winning field goal hit the left upright and crossbar in a 16-15 wild-card loss to Philadelphia caught him off guard.
Parkey left the Dolphins after the 2017 season for a four-year, $15 million contract.
49ers: Antonio Brown not only has Jerry Rice’s blessing but also an apparent passion to join the Hall of Fame receiver’s former team.
“He wants to come here really bad,” Rice said in a radio interview about Brown, who is expected to be traded by the Steelers.