The Arrowhead Pride Week 12 Bye Week Rooting Guide

It’s Week 12 — and the Kansas City Chiefs’ bye week. This weekend, the 7-4 Chiefs will watch from the sideline before preparing for and playing in their final six regular-season games.

Kansas City being off for the week doesn’t mean Chiefs fans are without a rooting interest. Here is a quick guide as to who Chiefs fans should be rooting for on Sunday (Keep in mind that we threw out ties for this rooting guide).

Be sure to check out odds for all the games at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Early-afternoon games

Steelers at Bengals

This is close to a toss-up, but a Steelers win ensures that neither team gets to seven wins through their first 11 games. A team such as the Chiefs, without conference tiebreakers due to the slow start, will rely on record alone to be in the mix for the single AFC bye week.

The verdict: A Steelers win is better for the Chiefs.

Buccaneers at Colts

The Colts are suddenly surging after winning five of their last six games, including their last three games in a row. Rooting for the Buccaneers may not be the easiest thing to do when you remember last year’s Super Bowl, but a cool-off for the in-conference Colts counts as a good thing for Kansas City.

The verdict: Bite the bullet, and root for Tom Brady and the Bucs.

Titans at Patriots

This is a rather tricky one, in my eyes. On the one hand, the Titans only have three losses, and a Patriots win would get them to four (they’ll eventually need five for the Chiefs to pass them). But to the Patriots? New England projects as the biggest threat to the Chiefs getting back into the playoff-bye mix and Tennessee will probably get to five losses with AJ Brown, Julio Jones and Derrick Henry on IR, anyway.

The verdict: Trust me here. The Titans somehow squeaking out a win this week is probably better for the Chiefs in the long run.

Late-afternoon games

Chargers at Broncos

Easy one (unfortunately). A Chargers win gives them first in the AFC West due to tiebreakers. Rally behind the Donkeys.

The verdict: Grit those teeth and root for the Broncos.

Sunday Night Football

Browns at Ravens

A Cleveland win gets the Browns to seven — like the Chiefs — but they already have their fifth loss. Because the Ravens beat the Chiefs, the Chiefs need them to get to five losses, and this would be their fourth — another easy one.

The verdict: Welcome to the Dawg Pound! Go Browns.