The Kansas City Chiefs will have to try and stop Las Vegas Raiders running-back Josh Jacobs after all, as it's been confirmed he will play despite being listed as questionable.
Jacobs has spent several days back home in Tulsa with his father who underwent emergency heart surgery this week. The Raiders star was expected to miss Saturday's season finale, but was convinced by his father to go and play.
The running-back flew back to Las Vegas late Friday night, and has even received treatment on Saturday as he's been dealing with hip and oblique injuries. Jacobs' father convinced him to play against the Chiefs, and will be watching the game from his hospital bed.
Marty Jacobs, Josh's father, remains hospitalised and in intensive care after having heart surgery, and he's perhaps only here today thanks to his grandson. Braxton, son of Josh, found his grandfather in pain, and the six-year-old was the one that dialled 911.
Jacobs has been with his father over the last few days, but asked hi on Friday what he should do regarding Saturday's Week 18 clash. He was told to play, and he will look to wrap up the rushing title and pip Derrick Henry.
Heading into the final week, Jacobs leads the NFL with 1,608 rushing yards. Henry is close behind him but trails by 179 yards, a figure that would still likely be unsurmountable even if Jacobs didn't play.
But Jacobs will surely wrap things up anyway, and the newly named Raiders captain will be even more motivated to rush into the endzone with his father watching on. Unfortunately for the Raiders, their post-season dreams are already over, but the Chiefs can claim the no.1 seed in the AFC with a win.
A win is all the Chiefs need after the Buffalo Bills had their Monday night game cancelled against the Cincinnati Bengals. Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during the first quarter, and the game was soon postponed after a brief pause.
The NFL then ruled that the game would not be replayed or resumed at a later date, which handed the Chiefs an initial AFC advantage. But, they have adjusted the AFC playoffs, meaning that neutral venues could be used so that the Bills aren't penalised unfairly.
As rivals of the Chiefs, the Raiders would love a victory on Saturday despite their season already being over. But across all the games this weekend, Hamin will be in the minds of everyone, with teams ready to pay their own tributes.
