Will Sanders, Smith Get Chance to Run?

KANSAS CITY (8-4) at DETROIT (5-7)

* KICKOFF: 9:30 a.m., Channel 4.

* STORYLINE: Marty Schottenheimer is doing his Wayne Fontes imitation again. In last year’s playoff loss to Indianapolis, Schottenheimer went bonkers and yanked an ineffective Steve Bono early on in favor of Rich Gannon, although Bono carried the Chiefs to a 13-3 record. Kansas City then collapsed. This year Bono got the Chiefs off to an 8-4 start, but now Gannon will make his first start since 1993 because Bono didn’t look good Sunday against San Diego. Hey, Bono doesn’t look good, but the Chiefs win with him at quarterback.

* CHIEF UPDATE: Teams have begun to run on the Kansas City defense, which has given up 120.3 yards the last four weeks, but will Fontes be smart enough to get the ball to Barry Sanders?

* LION UPDATE: Poor Fontes, everyone is picking on him, but not here. Just because his team is the biggest disappointment of the year after coming on like the Don Coryell Chargers of old last season, and just because his players have no confidence in him, is no reason to lambaste a guy who can’t coach.

* EDGE: To the viewers who opt to eat early while this turkey is on TV so they can be ready for the main course: the Redskins against the Cowboys.

WASHINGTON (8-4) at DALLAS (7-5)

* KICKOFF: 1 p.m., Channel 11.

* STORYLINE: Some great stuff here. Will Barry Switzer, who benched Emmitt Smith, start Sherman Williams in place of the great running back? Smith is angry, and according to folks at Valley Ranch, not all that hurt, although he has been undergoing treatment on an ankle. Can the Redskins continue to play over their heads? How can the No. 30 defense in the league hope to contend with Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin?

* REDSKIN UPDATE: Washington’s horrible defense will now be without safety Darryl Morrison (neck). Cornerback Darrell Green (ankle) is hurting and the defensive line is banged up. Washington’s best hope is that Terry Allen can hog the ball and keep the defense off the field.

* COWBOY UPDATE: Defensive tackle Leon Lett reportedly failed a drug test, but the NFL messed up in its procedures and Lett is expected to escape a potential one-year suspension. There goes that idea of Allen hogging the ball.

* EDGE: To Dallas because every time the Cowboys have been bucked and about to be trampled they have rolled free, ready to ride high again. A Dallas victory puts the Cowboys in a first-place tie with the Redskins, and the teams meet again in the season finale.