Chiefs: First character-test game for Super Bowl champs could be an afternoon delight
Odd when the start time is part of the story, but here we are.
A non-holiday weekday-afternoon kickoff happens in other sports, but not the NFL. In Kansas City, the Big 12, NAIA and MIAA basketball tournaments and a handful of Royals games with weekday afternoon starts are about it.
An exception arrives Monday, when the Chiefs will start a game at a time baseball once called the businessman’s special because employees would file out the office early to catch an afternoon ballgame. The COVID-19 pandemic has played havoc with NFL schedules, and thus the Chiefs-Bills 4 p.m. (Central) kickoff.
Here are the game details and prediction:
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
TV//Radio: Fox (Ch. 4)/NFL Network, WDAF (106.5 FM)
Line: Chiefs by 4 1/2
Blair Kerkhoff’s prediction: Chiefs 31-27
Both teams were favored last week, and then they each lost for the first time this season. Who has the better response? We’ll see Monday.
Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are having excellent seasons and Mahomes seems to enjoy the individual competition against other top quarterbacks. The Bills should be able to able to get their running game going, but look for a good day from the Chiefs defensive line stars Chris Jones and Frank Clark. They were held in check against the Raiders.
Although the loser will remain in good shape for the postseason, this is something of a pivot-point game. The winner owns a tiebreaker chip.
So this one is the first character-test game for the Super Bowl champs. They’ll win a high-scoring thriller.