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The game
The Kansas City Chiefs close out the 2019 regular season by hosting the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC West matchup in Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for Noon Arrowhead Time. The game will be broadcast by CBS — locally on KCTV-5.
Having already clinched their fourth-consecutive AFC West title — and currently holding the AFC’s third seed in the playoffs — the Chiefs will be trying for their sixth straight victory to close the season at 12-4, remaining in contention for a bye week to start the postseason.
Should the Miami Dolphins defeat the New England Patriots at Foxborough — a contest that will take place at the same time as the Chiefs-Chargers game — the Chiefs will get the second seed in the playoffs. With a loss to the Chargers and a win by the Houston Texans over the Tennessee Titans during Sunday’s late games, the Chiefs will fall to the fourth seed.
The Chargers arrive in Kansas City at the end of a disappointing season. Identified in many preseason analyses as a favorite to win the AFC West (after narrowly losing out to the Chiefs in 2018), the Chargers now occupy the division cellar with a 5-10 record. They’ve lost five of their last six games — most recently a 24-17 home loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has fought injuries all season, but in recent games has shown some of the form that made him the NFL’s Most Valuable Player last season. Still, Mahomes and his unit haven’t consistently shown the offensive dominance they displayed in 2018.
But that could simply be because in the second half of the season, it hasn’t been necessary; since Week 9, the resurgent Chiefs defense under new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has allowed just 15.1 points per game — second only to the Baltimore Ravens.
On Sunday, much of the attention will likely be focused on Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who is in the last year of his contract and could conceivably be playing in his last game for the team. In his 16th season with Los Angeles, Rivers will likely eclipse 59,000 yards in career passing during Sunday’s game.
But whether he’ll reach 60,000 yards with the Chargers — or some other team — is open to question.
“I know I can still do it at a high-enough level for us to win,” Rivers told ESPN’s Eric D. Williams this week. “I have not done it well enough this year, but I still do love to play and love to lead these guys and this team. It’s been an array of things that have compounded to keep us from winning enough games to advance into the tournament.”
Both teams are original AFL franchises that have played in the same division since their founding in 1960. Sunday’s game will be the 119th regular-season meeting — one that will complete a 60-season rivalry. (They only played once in the strike-shortened 1982 season). The Chiefs have won 62 of those games — including eight of the last nine.
Nuts and bolts
Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Playing surface: Natural grass
Game time: Noon Arrowhead Time, Sunday, December 29, 2019
Weather forecast: (9 a.m. Friday) Mostly cloudy, 10% chance of rain. Winds W 11 mph. High 44.
Parking lots open: 7 a.m. Arrowhead Time
Stadium gates open: 10 a.m. Arrowhead Time
Road construction note: The Missouri department of Transportation has commenced a multi-year construction project on sections of I-435 and I-70. Be advised that there will be detours on game day at the I-435 and I-70 Interchange for travelers on southbound I-435 toward Arrowhead Stadium. Complete information regarding detours and construction plans can be found at modot.org/node/16145 and modot.org/i-435-and-i-70-interchange.
Matchup history: 62-55-1 Chiefs (regular season)
Odds: Chiefs -7
Officials: Referee Walt Anderson (66), umpire Ruben Fowler (71), down judge Tom Stephan (68), line judge Byron Boston (18), field judge Lee Dyer (27), side judge Rick Patterson (15), back judge Keith Ferguson (61), replay official Brian Matoren and replay assistant Kevin Stine.
Arrowhead Pride Tailgate: with Pete Sweeney and Jay Binkley, 10 a.m. (Arrowhead Time) on 610Sports and 610Sports.Radio.com.
Arrowhead Pride Post-game Show: with Pete Sweeney and Jay Binkley, immediately following the game on 610Sports and 610Sports.Radio.com. Also available after its conclusion on the Arrowhead Pride Podcast Channel.
Television broadcast: with Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon on KCTV (CBS/5-Kansas City), Chiefs Mobile App, KCBS (CBS/2-Los Angeles) and other CBS affiliates nationwide
Online Stream: Fubo.TV
Chiefs radio broadcast: with Mitch Holthus and Kendall Gammon on KCFX (101.1 FM-Kansas City), Chiefs Radio Network affiliates and KCChiefsRadio.com.
Chiefs Spanish radio broadcast: with Enrique Morales, Oscar Monterroso and Hannah Bassham on La Mega 100.5 FM and 1160 AM (Tico Sports)
Chargers radio broadcast: with Matt Smith and Daniel Jeremiah on KFI (640 AM-Los Angeles) and Chargers Radio Network affiliates
Enemy SB Nation site: Bolts From The Blue
Twitter: Arrowhead Pride
Facebook: Please like us!
Regular Season Schedule
Wk 1 | Sun Sep 8 | @Jaguars | TIAA Bank Field | Won 40-26 |
Wk 2 | Sun Sep 15 | @Raiders | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | Won 28-10 |
Wk 3 | Sun Sep 22 | Ravens | Arrowhead Stadium | Won 33-28 |
Wk 4 | Sun Sep 29 | @Lions | Ford Field | Won 34-30 |
Wk 5 | Sun Oct 6 | Colts | Arrowhead Stadium | Lost 19-13 |
Wk 6 | Sun Oct 13 | Texans | Arrowhead Stadium | Lost 31-24 |
Wk 7 | Thu Oct 17 | @Broncos | Broncos Stadium at Mile High | Won 30-6 |
Wk 8 | Sun Oct 27 | Packers | Arrowhead Stadium | Lost 31-24 |
Wk 9 | Sun Nov 3 | Vikings | Arrowhead Stadium | Won 26-23 |
Wk 10 | Sun Nov 10 | @Titans | Nissan Stadium | Lost 35-32 |
Wk 11 | Mon Nov 18 | @Chargers | Estadio Azteca (Mexico City) | Won 24-17 |
Wk 12 | Bye Week | |||
Wk 13 | Sun Dec 1 | Raiders | Arrowhead Stadium | Won 40-9 |
Wk 14 | Sun Dec 8 | @Patriots | Gillette Stadium | Won 23-16 |
Wk 15 | Sun Dec 15 | Broncos | Arrowhead Stadium | Won 23-3 |
Wk 16 | Sun Dec 22 | @Bears | Soldier Field | Won 26-3 |
Wk 17 | Sun Dec 29 | Chargers | Arrowhead Stadium | 12:00 PM CBS |