NFL Games Today: TV Schedule, channel, time & live stream options for Week 18 - January 8, 2021

We are now at the conclusion of the 2021 NFL regular season with Week 18 and there is still so much to play for. For the Kansas City Chiefs, it is about playoff positioning in the AFC as they face the Denver Broncos in an AFC West matchup. The Philadelphia Eagles face their NFC East rival, the Dallas Cowboys, as both teams are already in the playoffs in the NFC.

NFL Week 18 schedule, TV channel, date, and time

Game: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos

TV Channel and Time: ESPN, 4:30 p.m. ET

Announcers: Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Laura Rutledge

NFL Week 18 schedule, TV channel, date and time

Game: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles

TV Channel and Time: ESPN, 8:15 p.m. ET

Announcers: Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos

The Chiefs are 11-5 and the champions of the AFC West for the sixth consecutive year. They had an eight-game win streak snapped by the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17, losing by a score of 34-31.

Kansas City currently holds the second seed in the AFC playoff picture and could be the one seed if the Tennessee Titans lose to the Houston Texans and need to defeat the Broncos.

Pro Bowl quarterback Patrick Mahomes leads the third-best offense in the NFL, averaging 397.3 yards a game. Mahomes is sixth in the league with 4,569 passing yards and is tied with Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert with 35 touchdown passes.

With nine sacks this season, Chiefs’ DL Chris Jones needs one more today vs. Denver to cash in on a $1.25 million incentive for 10 sacks. https://t.co/z3DF4jWTiT

Their defense is ranked 26th in the NFL, allowing 369.3 yards a game, but Pro Bowl defensive end Chris Jones leads the team with nine sacks. Kansas City are on a 12-game winning streak versus Denver, spanning 2305 days.

The Chiefs have won 12-straight games against the Broncos, their longest winning streak against any opponent. https://t.co/U7QNUFUsxb

The Broncos are not in playoff contention and are looking to avoid their fourth double-digit losing season in five years. With veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater on injured reserve with a concussion, third-year signal caller Drew Lock will get the start.

In two starts this season, Lock has two touchdown passes with two interceptions and 625 passing yards.

I think John Elway did a ton of good things in his GM days, but his selections of coaches and QB’s post-Manning were absolutely abysmal in contrast to what could have been. Lynch over Dak. VJ over Shanny, Keenum/Chubb over Allen, Fangio over LaFleuer…

ABSYMAL

#BroncosCountry

Denver has two running backs with over 800 rushing yards, rookie Javante Williams (857) and Melvin Gordon (808). Defensively, they are ranked ninth, allowing 322.1 yards a game.

On the defensive end, Denver are seventh in opposing passing yards a game (212.3 yards) and tied for fourth with the New England Patriots with the fewest touchdown passes allowed (20).

NFL: Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The Cowboys are 11-5 and the winners of the NFC East for the first time since 2018. Their four-game winning streak was snapped in Week 17 when they lost to the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 25-22. Regardless of the outcome of this game, Dallas will be the fourth seed in the NFC playoffs.

They are the second-best offense in the league, averaging 402.8 yards a game and first in points per game (29.9 points).

When the Dallas Cowboys score first this season: 9-0

When their opponent scores first: 2-5

Their Pro Bowl signal caller, Dak Prescott, is sixth in passer rating (100.9), eighth in touchdown passes (32), and fifth in completion percentage (68.4 percent).

Defensively, rookie linebacker Micah Parsons has 11 sacks and cornerback Trevon Diggs leads the NFL with 11 interceptions. However, both players will not be in the game as Parsons tested positive for COVID-19 and Diggs is out with a non-COVID-19 related illness.

When in doubt, interview 5 year olds.

I caught up with Aaiden Diggs on the all-important question of whether he’s intercepted a pass himself yet, and what he wants people to know about his 11-INT dad Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs:
usatoday.com/story/sports/n… https://t.co/6i6LSR62HV

The Eagles enter the game with a record of 9-7 and are on a four-game winning streak. Offensively, QB Jalen Hurts has 3,144 yards passing with 16 touchdown passes and 784 yards rushing with 10 touchdowns.

“They’ve got their quarterback”

-Steve Mariucci says Eagles have found their franchise QB “for the next 12 years” with Jalen Hurts

Steve interviewed Jalen at combine & still texts with him

🎧Listen to new podcast with @SteveMariucci on Birds playoffs 🔽
art19.com/shows/takeoff-… https://t.co/vh7btkUsVq

Hurts' 10 rushing touchdowns rank sixth in the NFL, while he also sits in the top 20 for rushing yards with 784. Philadelphia is first in rushing yards a game (160.4) and rushing touchdowns (24).

Only 4% of teams in NFL history have started 2-5 and made the postseason.

The Eagles did it with a rookie head coach and 23-year-old quarterback.

Their defense allows 319.7 yards a game, making them the seventh-best defense in the NFL. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and defensive end Josh Sweat each have seven-and-a-half sacks.