When the NFL scheduled Indianapolis at Kansas City in the 12thweek of the season, they didn’t expect it to be a premier attraction. They scheduled it at 1 p.m. Sunday as one of four CBS early games, so it won’t be a national attraction but will be shown in most markets.
A lot will be at stake, especially for Kansas City. The Chiefs are 5-5 and if they lose to the Colts, they could be in danger of missing the playoffs. Meanwhile, the 8-2 Colts are currently seeded third in the AFC and are fighting for the top seed and want to keep two games ahead of the 6-4 Jaguars, who are playing Arizona. The Chiefs are still favored even though the Colts have the better record.
The Chiefs’ main problem is that they are 0-5 in one score games this year after bringing a 17-game winning streak in one-score games into the season. The Chiefs are having a problem on offense. Either Patrick Mahomes misses receivers or the receivers don’t get open or drop his passes. If the Chiefs are to make a late run to the playoffs, it has to start now.
–There is also a premier match Sunday night with a battle of division leaders as Tampa Bay goes to the Rams. The Rams are 8-2 and the Bucs are 6-4. The Rams are a game ahead of Seattle, which is expected to beat Tennessee, in the NFC West. The Bucs are a game ahead in the loss column over the surprising 6-5 Panthers.
–In the other two primetime games, Buffalo, the fifth seed in the AFC at 7-3, is favored over 5-5 Houston Thursday night and 7-4 San Francisco, the seventh NFC seed, will play the surprising Panthers Monday night.
–The 6-4 Steelers, the fourth AFC seed and the AFC North leader, will play at the 7-3 Bears, the third NFC seed and NFC North leader. With Aaron Rodgers recovering from a broken bone in his wrist, Mason Rudolph will anthe start if Rodgers can’t go. New England at 9-2 and second AFC seed, will at Cincinnati. Both are CBS early games. Jacksonville, the seventh AFC seed at 6-4, plays at Arizona in a late CBS game.
–The Eagles, the top NFC seed at 8-2, will go to 4-5-1 Dallas, in the national doubleheader game on FOX. It will be shown in all markets except the New Orleans and Atlanta areas since those two teams play each other.
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