Author predictions for massive Sunday night football game

The Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals share a parking lot out at the Truman Sports Complex. However, Royals devil magic that propelled them to the World Series has slowly moved across the parking lot. After all, supernatural forces are among the most popular theories behind the Chiefs 11-1 record. But the visiting 8-4 Los Angeles Chargers will try to push Kansas City’s losing record from singular to plural this week.

The AFC West matchup takes place on Sunday Night Football and could lock up the division with a Kansas City win. The Charges and Denver Broncos are both eight-win teams right now, but the Chiefs, who improve to 12-1 with four weeks remaining, would end the division race. Kansas City’s run atop the AFC West is one of football’s best ever, making the Broncos’ dominant run with quarterback Peyton Manning a distant memory.

After last Friday’s unfortunate win, how do our writers feel about this week’s matchup? What should fans look for?

Patrick Allen
The bosses are clearly in trouble. They currently seem unable to play a full game of football. The tackles are a mess and the defense is on the way back. After nearly losing to two of the league’s worst teams in Carolina and Las Vegas, it’s hard to imagine the Chiefs beating the red-hot Chargers. KC managed the last two weeks on a bit of luck and error from their opponents. LA is too well trained to shoot itself in the foot. Until the Chiefs find their identity, I can’t pick them against a quality opponent. Time for KC to hit rock bottom.
Chargers 31, Chiefs 20

Matt Conner
I’m a big fan of what Jim Harbaugh is doing and think the Chargers will give the Chiefs passes in the future. But they are broken up and it is possible that JK Dobbins, Ladd McConkey and Cam Hart are all out with the defense already broken up. At some point, the tightrope act becomes too much for the Chiefs, but not this week.
Chiefs 20, Chargers 18

Braden Holecek

This will be one of the more challenging games left on the regular season schedule. Kansas City needs to be able to play more complete games and create better protection for Patrick Mahomes. Can the defense also get back to playing more under control? Overall, I’ll be keeping an eye on how the Kansas City pass defense fares and what names stand out among the defensive backs. Can certain players not named Trent McDuffie secure roles going forward? How the secondary player is worth monitoring.

Chiefs 24, Chargers 20

Felix Johnson
The Chargers were supposed to beat the Chiefs on Sunday night. Children have to do their homework. I should drive a Lamborghini. The Chiefs defense needs to step it up after the last few weeks and DJ Humprhies needs to start allaying all of our concerns.
Chiefs 27, Chargers 17

Jacob Milham
This isn’t your dad’s Chargers team, and you don’t hear that in the offseason, so you have to believe it. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has his team firmly in the playoff picture, and an exuberant Kansas City team seems like a perfect statement game for him. The availability of cornerback Cam Hart and wide receiver Ladd McConkey will be an intriguing topic to watch, but Los Angeles sets the tone early and wins this game in the trenches.
Chargers 27, Chiefs 20

Shawn O’Brate
Too many games have been played this season. I know it, you know it, Mahomes knows it, and everyone on the sideline knows it. With that in mind, I think the Chiefs start the game throwing haymakers and hope one or two connect. Whether it’s long rainbows for Xavier Worthy or some trick plays from the crazy mind of Andy Reid, it doesn’t matter. I think Kansas City finally gets up early with a division opponent before they do what they do best and take their foot off the gas with a few mistakes in there. LA is catching up, but Kansas City is proving they love late-game pressure, just like they have for most of the last two years, winning late but nonetheless.

Chiefs 28, Chargers 24

Charles Robinson
Are the chiefs wrong? Yes. Have the last two games been far too close for comfort? Certainly. But I’ve turned the tables mentally and am convinced they’re still the class of the league and will win their 9th straight AFC West title in convincing fashion Sunday night against the Chargers.
Chiefs 33, Chargers 20

Stacy D. Smith
The Kansas City Chiefs host a familiar foe in a nationally televised affair on Sunday. The LA Chargers come to town fresh off a four-point win over the Atlanta Falcons. Over the past three weeks, the Bolts have surrendered 328 rushing yards to the trio of Bijan Robinson, Derrick Henry and Chase Brown. The Chiefs will take advantage of that with a large dose of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. Without their own starter in the backfield, I expect some offensive inconsistency from the Chargers. Mahomes has a bounceback game, the Chiefs defensive front harasses Justin Herbert, and the Chiefs win again.
Chiefs 24, Chargers 20

Lucas Strozinsky
At this point, expecting the Chiefs to win by more than a field goal is just greedy. The Chiefs will win, but it will be very ugly again.
Chiefs 26, Chargers 25