Steve Spagnuolo doesn’t sound interested in entertaining a letdown.
The Chiefs defensive coordinator said this week that the Chargers should treat Sunday’s trip to Arrowhead Stadium like an opening to reset a season that has gone sideways. Los Angeles enters at 0-5, while Kansas City is 4-0 and coming off a bye.
“When you’re wounded like that as a team,” Spagnuolo told reporters this week, “boy, you come out fighting, especially in a divisional game. They probably have to look at this thing and say, ‘Look, you go into Arrowhead and win the game, you know, you can turn it all around.’ So that’s what we’re fighting against.”
The national prediction boards don’t see that happening.
Every one of the 76 national experts surveyed picked the Chiefs to win Sunday’s game, which kicks off at 3:25 p.m. and will air on KCTV (Ch. 5) in Kansas City. CBS will have Kevin Harlan and Trent Green on the call.
A few of the forecasts point to a closer game than the records suggest, but the consensus is unmistakable. The Los Angeles Times’ Sam Farmer has Kansas City winning 28-23, writing: “This game might be a bit closer than people expect because the Chargers tend to play well against the Chiefs, but these two teams are in different stratospheres. Justin Herbert is totally out of rhythm - the opposite of his Brazil performance against the Chiefs last season.”
NBC Sports’ Mike Florio sees a 30-17 Chiefs victory and wrote: “Mike McDaniel once lost a playoff game in Kansas City, during his time with the Dolphins. A loss by the Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium could be the thing that results in McDaniel losing his current job.”
The Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi picked Kansas City 24-17. In his explanation, he wrote: “This version of Justin Herbert in Mike McDaniel’s offense isn’t working for the depleted Chargers.
The Chiefs are rested after a bye. Kenneth Walker III is on pace to run for nearly 2,300 yards.
His presence has elevated the offense led by Patrick Mahomes.”
The Sporting News’ Bill Bender went with a 25-19 Chiefs win and pointed to a troubling number for Los Angeles: “The Chargers lead the NFL with 13 turnovers - an ugly stat that continues to pop up in the worst moments. ... The last four meetings have been one-score games.”
The Arizona Republic’s Jeremy Cluff predicted a 28-20 Chiefs victory, writing: “Calling this game important for the 0-5 Chargers is an understatement. Can Justin Herbert and company really fall to 0-6?
Yes, they can. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are coming off a week off and are playing at home.
Bad news for Los Angeles.”
The CBS Sports group was unanimous as well. Pete Prisco, Jared Dubin, John Breech, Tyler Sullivan, Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg and Ryan Wilson all took Kansas City.
Prisco’s pick was 28-21, and he wrote: “The Chargers limp into this one at 0-5, while the Chiefs are undefeated off a bye. The Chargers are desperate and need a win or their season will be over.
This is not a good place to try to get that first victory.”
NFL.com’s five writers all sided with the Chiefs too. Jeremy Bergman forecast a 31-14 finish, Brooke Cersosimo chose 33-21, Gennaro Filice went 27-17, Bobby Kownack picked 30-20 and Dan Parr took 26-16.
Bergman wrote: “An undefeated Andy Reid-coached side coming off a bye against a winless, banged-up Bolts roster? That is the football equivalent of an unstoppable force meeting a movable object.
No winless team has beaten a 4-0 or better club since 2002, and such outfits are 2-11 in these matchups since the 1970 merger, per NFL Research.”
Bleacher Report’s seven writers all landed on Kansas City as well. Gary Davenport, Kris Knox, Moe Moton, Ian Hanford, Brad Gagnon, Wes O’Donnell and Brent Sobleski all chose the Chiefs, and O’Donnell wrote: “I can see this game being more competitive than the final score suggests. Picture the Chargers reaching Kansas City’s red zone down nine or 10 points with three to four minutes remaining, committing a costly turnover and never getting the ball back.”
The Athletic’s eight writers were unanimous for Kansas City: Zach Berman, Chad Graff, Jon Greenberg, Larry Holder, Josh Kendall, Steven Louis Goldstein, Nick Kosminder and Austin Mock.
ESPN’s 11 experts all picked the Chiefs too: Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Jeremy Fowler, Kalyn Kahler, Moses Moody, Pamela Maldonado, Seth Wickersham, Jason Reid, Dan Graziano, Lindsey Thiry and Benjamin Solak.
USA Today’s six writers were all on Kansas City, with Jarrett Bell predicting 27-24, Nick Brinkerhoff 34-14, Chris Bumbaca 26-16, Nate Davis 30-23, Andy Kaufman 30-13 and Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz 28-17.
Sports Illustrated’s eight experts also chose the Chiefs: Albert Breer, Mitch Goldich, Gilberto Manzano, Mike Kadlick, Eva Geitheim, John Pluym, Matt Verderame and Conor Orr.
And SB Nation’s nine writers joined the sweep for Kansas City as well: Mookie Alexander, David Fucillo, Ricky O’Donnell, Matthew Warren, James Dator, Jared Mueller, R.J. Ochoa, Mark Schofield and Brandon Gowton.
In Other News...
Chiefs Vs Chargers Comes With An Arrowhead Twist Fans Will Notice
The Chargers visit to Arrowhead on Friday comes with a packed game-day setup that should matter to anyone heading into the stadium early. The Chiefs have mapped out the usual moving parts fans care about most: gate opening times, parking procedures, tailgate options, concessions and the push to lean on mobile tickets and cashless payments once inside. It is the kind of home-game checklist that can make the difference between a smooth night and a frustrating one, especially with a divisional opponent in town.
Fans also have a few extra reasons to arrive with some time to spare around the stadium. Beyond the standard pregame traffic and entry flow, the Chiefs have layered in additional entertainment and special honorees to make this more than just another night at Arrowhead. For a fan base that treats the parking lots almost like part of the event itself, the details around where to go and what to expect before kickoff are becoming part of the story, not just the backdrop. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Fans May Not Like This Tyreek Hill Reunion Reality
The Tyreek Hill reunion chatter has lingered around Kansas City for good reason. The Chiefs have needed help at receiver while injuries have thinned the room, and Hill remains a free agent, which naturally keeps the conversation alive for fans who remember what he brought to the offense. But according to NFL insider Jonathan Jones, the current reality is much cooler than the speculation, with the Chiefs relying on other receivers and pieces in the passing game while they sort through their options.
A return to Kansas City is not off the table, but it is not close, either. Jones says the Chiefs are not in a rush to make that move right now, and the teams approach before the trade deadline will be worth watching closely. If Kansas City chooses to add another wideout before Nov. 10, that would only make the path back for Hill look more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Kelces Future Could Spark A Fight Chiefs Fans Didnt Expect
Travis Kelces long-term future is starting to draw as much attention as his work on the field, with the Chiefs tight end reportedly showing interest in broadcasting after his playing career ends. Given how visible he has become away from football, the idea of Kelce moving into a TV role has begun to feel less like a novelty and more like a real possibility for the next phase of his career.
Media analyst Mike Florio recently floated a path that would keep Kelce in the national spotlight, pointing to the kind of media presence that could make him attractive to multiple networks. Nothing has been announced, of course, but the speculation alone hints at how much demand there could be if Kelce ever decides to make the leap, and how quickly the conversation around his future could turn into a high-stakes competition. [Read more 🡒]