Sunday’s slate of games includes a couple of big late-afternoon game. For CBS, one was deemed to be a little bigger than the other.
Via Jimmy Traina of Underscore Media, CBS has assigned the No. 1 broadcast team of Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt to the Chiefs-Raiders game, and not to the Broncos-49ers contest.
At first blush, it was a surprise. Broncos-49ers could be a much better game, and a possible Super Bowl preview. The 49ers are unbeaten, and the Broncos are 2-1.
But the Chiefs and Raiders are both 3-0. Beyond the fact that it was one of the great rivalries of the ‘70s, the Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the Taylor Swift factor.
The winner will be 4-0. For the Raiders, that would be more wins than they had in all of 2025.
Mahomes and Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins have met twice before. Mahomes has won both games: in 2023 vs. the Vikings at Minnesota, and in 2023 vs. the Falcons at Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the assignment means that — not surprisingly — Tony Romo’s leave of absence from CBS won’t be ending.