- Teams: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs
- Date: Sunday, December 31, 2023
- Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
- Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: CBS
The Cincinnati Bengals are on the road on New Year’s Eve when they travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, in Week 17 action. Here is some background on the two AFC clubs before we look at the early betting odds, picks, and predictions for their matchup.
At this time, The Cincinnati Bengals are in last place in the very competitive AFC North with a record of 7-6. The Bengals rebounded from a three-game losing skid with back-to-back wins the past two weeks. The team is coming off a Week 14 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Cincinnati won that game 34-14. The Bengals are 3-3 on the road this season.
The Kansas City Chiefs are the No. 1 team in the AFC West with an 8-5 record. Kansas City has struggled as of late. The Chiefs began the 2023 NFL season with a 6-1 record, but the team is 2-4 in its past six outings. Kansas City is coming off back-to-back losses, most recently dropping a 20-17 home game to the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs are 4-3 at home in 2023.
Before we look at the betting breakdown for the Week 17 matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs, check out our best Super Bowl betting tips and the top betting sites for NFL football in 2023.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs betting picks
Teams | Betnline | ||
Cincinnati Bengals | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Kansas City Chiefs | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Cincinnati Bengals betting breakdown
The loss of Joe Burrow in Week 11 was supposed to be the end of the Cincinnati Bengals season, and while the team lost to Baltimore and Pittsburgh without Burrow, the club has kept itself in the AFC playoff picture with wins against Jacksonville and Indianapolis. It has done so behind some solid quarterbacking from Jake Browning.
Browning went 32 for 37 for 354 yards and one touchdown against Jacksonville. He followed that with an 18-for-24 performance against Indianapolis, where he had two passing TDs, one rushing touchdown, and one interception, which came off a deflection. Browning has led the team to back-to-back games of more than 30 points.
Cincinnati’s defense is not strong against the pass, where it gives up the second most yards per attempt at 7.9. Overall, the passing D has surrendered 3,476 yards, but only 16 touchdowns. As for rushing defense, only two teams give up more yards per carry than the Bengals at 4.7. Cincinnati has given up 1,653 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.
Kansas City Chiefs betting breakdown
The talk after the Kansas City Chiefs‘ loss was centered around the offside call that brought what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown back late in the fourth quarter. As spectacular as the play was, Kadarius Toney did line up offsides. The play was a microcosm of what has been ailing the Chiefs all year. The team’s receiving corps is not performing at its best, which it needs to do since the Chiefs did not have much of a running game with the club’s leading rusher, Isiah Pacheco, out of the lineup with a shoulder injury.
With the loss on Sunday, Kansas City fell to third in the AFC standings, which means the team could be facing its first road playoff game in a long while. With that being said, the playoffs should not be what the Chiefs are focusing on right now. The team needs to focus on winning games and working together as a cohesive unit, something it has not done over the past few weeks.
The Chiefs are struggling on both sides of the ball as the 2023 NFL season heads to a close. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is finding it hard to get things done with a receiving corps that is having issues with consistency, and the defense has had problems over the past few weeks. Will the back-to-back losses for the Chiefs be a wake-up call or a warning of what is to come down the stretch for a team that has been dominant for a long time?
Best bets for NFL Week 17: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Kansas City Chiefs
These clubs are heading in opposite directions as the 2023 NFL season nears its end. The Bengals are playing better than many expected without Joe Burrow, and the Chiefs are struggling after a solid start to the season. Despite the trends, the betting pick is for the Chiefs to beat the Bengals on New Year’s Eve.
Best Bet for Week 17: Kansas City Chiefs to beat Cincinnati Bengals
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