January 6, 2024
By Fred Liggett
sports.lstribune08@gmail.com
We have finally reached week 17 of the 2023-24 NFL season and we have an answer if the Chiefs will play their starters in the regular season finale vs LA Chargers. When fans took a first look at the season schedule the hope was the Chiefs would rest there starters because the team had the number one seed in the AFC playoffs in the bag. Instead the Chiefs will be resting a number of starters due to being locked as the number three seed.
The number of starters is not clear as of this time but Chiefs head coach Andy Reid did declare QB Patrick Mahomes would sit out the game. In his place will be backup Blaine Gabbert getting his first start as a Chief. On Wednesday as the team began practicing for the game in LA a number of starters missed or were limited in practice. TE Travis Kelce and WR Kadarious Toney were limited while DE Chris Jones, RB Isiah Pacheco, WR Rashee Rice and CB L’Jarius Sneed all missed practice due to a variety of ailments.
The Chiefs enter the game at 10-6 and win or lose cannot due any worse or better than the number three seed in the upcoming AFC playoffs. The Chiefs, after having secured their eighth straight AFC West Division title, know they have at least one home playoff game. The Chargers have secured last place in the AFC West thanks to a four-game losing streak and enter this week’s game at 5-11. With both teams having little to play for, CBS viewers will notice no Jim Nantz or Tony Romo will be onsite as the TV crew.
With so many unknowns coming into this season finale one can at least say a close divisional game will not surprise many fans. The Chiefs defeated the Chargers in KC earlier this season 31-17. But the second meeting of the year is always a close one. Chiefs beat the Chargers by three in 2022 and won in OT back in 2021. A win this week will mean the Chiefs fifth straight win in the series.
The Chargers will take the field with a QB named Easton Stick and an interim head coach named Giff Smith. The team is wanting the season to end and the Blaine Gabbert led Chiefs will end it for them by giving them another loss. Chiefs head home holding an 11-6 regular season record. That’s What I REID Into It for this week.
