Dec 26, 2014 5 min read

The Kansas City Chiefs were already facing a formidable series of hurdles if they were going to qualify for the playoffs. On Friday, their road became more daunting.

The Chiefs announced quarterback Alex Smith had a small laceration of his spleen and would miss their pivotal game against the playoff-contending San Diego Chargers. That leaves career backup Chase Daniel to make his second career NFL start at Arrowhead Stadium.

“There’s nothing you have to do any different,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Chase has a good grasp of things. He’s a smart guy, studies like crazy in case something like this happens.”

The Chiefs (8-7) were playoff shoo-ins about a month ago, when they were 7-3 and eyeing the Broncos atop the AFC West. A first-round bye seemed a better bet than missing the playoffs.

Since then, they’ve won just once in five games. Now, they not only need to beat San Diego for the second time this season, but hope Houston falls to Jacksonville and Baltimore to Cleveland in a pair of games that will transpire at the exact same time.

Of course, the Chiefs can only control one thing: their game against the Chargers.

“We have to win to even have a shot,” Daniel said.

Matter of fact, so does San Diego.

After snapping a two-game slide with an overtime win over San Francisco last weekend, San Diego (9-6) knows that a victory against the Chiefs in the final week of the regular season will get qualify for the playoffs for the second straight year.

“That’s what everybody works for all year long, to have an opportunity to advance,” Chargers coach Mike McCoy said. “It’s a big division game. We’re very familiar with each other.”

The Chargers beat the Chiefs in overtime in last year’s regular-season finale to squeak into the playoffs. And if that wasn’t coincidence enough, the Chiefs already locked up their playoff seed that day, so they rested their starters and Daniel got the nod at quarterback.

He’ll have a bit more on the line this time around.

“We have a sharp game plan this week,” Daniel said after his only practice with the first-team offense, “and it was great to get out here Friday and go over the entire game plan.”

All of the similarities to last season hit home for Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who threw for 229 yards and three touchdowns in that game last December. But he also pointed out that it’s a new year, and the Chiefs have a whole lot more riding on this one.

“The situation’s different for them,” Rivers said, “but we had to beat them to get in and here we are again, we have to beat Kansas City to get in. It’s a team we know well, they know us well.”

Browns to start Shaw: Browns rookie quarterback Connor Shaw will come off the practice squad and start the season finale Sunday against Baltimore.

With Brian Hoyer still slowed by a sore right throwing shoulder, Shaw will be behind center when the Browns (7-8) conclude another disappointing season against the Ravens, who still have a shot at the playoffs.

“I’m excited about it,” Shaw said following practice. “It was a good week of practice and I had a lot of support from coaches and teammates and I’m confident going into this game with the game plan. We’ll see what happens on Sunday.”

An undrafted free agent, Shaw is the third quarterback to start for the Browns this season and the 22nd for the franchise since 1999.

It’s the third straight season and fourth time in five seasons that Cleveland’s No. 3 quarterback started the finale.

Hoyer starter Cleveland’s first 13 games before being benched and rookie Johnny Manziel was placed on injured reserve this week after injuring his hamstring last week at Carolina in his second start. Hoyer is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game, and if he can’t dress, Tyler Thigpen, who was signed earlier this week will back up Shaw, will.

Shaw went 27-5 in four years with the Gamecocks. He’s spent this season on Cleveland’s practice squad and running the scout team during practice.

Arizona’s Lindley back as starter: More news surrounding the turbulent quarterback predicament of the Arizona Cardinals.

Ryan Lindley is back as the starter, and Drew Stanton was treated for an infection in his sprained right knee, a setback in his attempt to return for the playoffs.

Coach Bruce Arians initially said rookie Logan Thomas would start in Sunday’s regular-season finale at San Francisco. But he said Friday he changed his mind based on Thomas’ performances in practice.

Stanton, who missed the last two games, experienced swelling in his knee Wednesday. Arthroscopic surgery was performed Wednesday night to flush out the knee and treat it with antibiotics.

Arians wouldn’t talk about the infection, but said Stanton remains “on schedule for next week.”