Two AFC West opponents will face off when the Kansas City Chiefs travel to take on the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon at Mile High. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our NFL odds series, which includes a Chiefs-Broncos prediction and pick, laid out below.
Kansas City is in first place in the AFC West, surging to a 9-3 record. Last time out, Kansas City snapped a five-game winning streak with a three-point loss to Buffalo. Four of the team’s final five games come against division opponents, which could solidify the team’s playoff status.
Nothing has gone right in a 3-9 season for Denver. Hiring Nathaniel Hackett and trading for Russell Wilson to run the offense was supposed to catapult this team into the playoffs. Instead, rumors have swirled surrounding the status of Hackett’s job.
Here are the Chiefs-Broncos NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Chiefs-Broncos Odds
Kansas City Chiefs: -9.5 (-105)
Denver Broncos: +9.5 (-115)
Over: 43.5 (-115)
Under: 43.5 (-105)
Why The Chiefs Could Cover The Spread
Well, this one is pretty easy. Patrick Mahomes is arguably the best quarterback in the league, and every time he touches the ball, fans are treated to a spectacle. Mahomes has completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 3,808 yards with 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Mahomes added 282 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Isaiah Pacheco has emerged from a crowded backfield to become the team’s leading rusher with 521 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is second with 302 rushing yards and tied for the lead with three touchdowns. Kansas City has rushed for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns as a team. Denver has allowed 1,441 rushing yards to opponents.
Travis Kelce is the team’s leading receiver with 968 yards and 12 (!) touchdowns. Mecole Hardman is second with four touchdown catches. JuJu Smith-Schuster, with 688 yards, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, with 586 yards, are the other two Chiefs with at least 500 receiving yards. Kansas City’s potent offense leads the league with 29.2 points scored per game.
Kansas City’s defense has been average, allowing 22.5 points per game, 15th in the league. Chris Jones strikes fear into opposing offenses, totaling 10 sacks to lead the team, while Kansas City has totaled 36 as a team. Denver has allowed 38 sacks to opponents.
Why The Broncos Could Cover The Spread
Safe to say that the Russell Wilson trade has not quite worked out in the first year. Wilson has completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 2,558 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Wilson also rushed for a touchdown. Latavius Murray leads the team with 348 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Murray is now the main running back with Melvin Gordon’s fumbling issues forcing the team to release him. Denver has totaled 1,235 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while Kansas City has allowed 1,274 rushing yards.
Courtland Sutton leads the team with 688 receiving yards, hauling in one touchdown catch. Jerry Jeudy leads the team with three touchdown catches while ranking second with 514 receiving yards. Denver’s offense ranks dead last in the league by averaging a measly 13.8 points per game. Had Denver managed to score 20 points in every game, the record would have been flipped to 9-3.
Denver’s defense has been sturdy, ranking second by allowing just 17.0 points per game. All the ingredients are there for this team to be a playoff contender. Denver has sacked their opponents 30 times while Kansas City has allowed just 19.
Final Chiefs-Broncos Prediction & Pick
I do not see how this one will be close at all. Despite Denver’s defense, the offense is so bad that they might not even reach double-digit points in this one.
Final Chiefs-Broncos Prediction & Pick: Kansas City -9.5 (-105), over 43.5 (-115)
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