Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs Betting Preview

Two high octane offenses will clash Sunday afternoon as the Cincinnati Bengals (12-7) square off with the Kansas City Chiefs (14-5). The Chiefs will host this one at Arrowhead Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 3:00 pm ET.

Last week, the Bengals were able to knock off the top-seeded Tennessee Titans 19-16. In the win, Joe Burrow threw for 348 yards but did not manage a touchdown. Joe Mixon rushed for 54 yards and a score.

The Chiefs played in one of the craziest games in recent history as they beat the Buffalo Bills 42-36 in overtime during their divisional matchup. In the win, Patrick Mahomes threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns.

He also led the ground game rushing seven times for 69 yards and a score. Tyreek Hill led all receivers with 11 receptions for 150 yards and a score.

These two matched up on January 2, with the Bengals beating the Chiefs 34-31. In that win, Joe Burrow absolutely dominated as he threw for 446 yards and four scores.

The Chiefs are the favorites playing at home. They are -355 to win while the Bengals’ moneyline sits at +285. The spread features Cincinnati +7.5 (-118), and the over/under for total points is 54.5.

More Odds

Kansas City currently has the best odds of winning the Super Bowl at +125. The Bengals have the worst odds of the four remaining teams at +850.

By The Numbers

Both of these teams rank in the top ten in scoring this season. Kansas City ranks fourth as they are averaging 29.7 points per game. The Bengals come in eighth, averaging 26.6 points per game.

Defensively, it is the Bengals with a slight edge. They rank 13th in scoring defense, allowing opponents an average of 21.6 points per game (16.9 on the road). The Chiefs rank 16th, allowing 22.2 points per game (19.5 at home).

Can Burrow Outgun Mahomes Again?

During the regular season, Joe Burrow showed how dominant he can be, ultimately outgunning Mahomes and the potent Chiefs’ offense. After a subpar offensive effort last week against the Titans, Cincinnati is hoping he can rekindle his magic again and earn a trip to the Super Bowl.

During the regular season, Burrow threw for 4,611 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. He also rushed for 118 yards and another couple scores.

Burrow’s favorite target is his former LSU teammate, Ja’Marr Chase. In 17 games, Chase had 81 receptions for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Tee Higgins was also solid as he had 74 receptions for 1,091 yards and six scores in 14 games.

On the ground, the Bengals are led by Joe Mixon. In 16 games, he rushed for 1,205 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also had 42 receptions for 314 yards and another three scores.

Kansas City Hoping For Home Magic

Including the postseason, the Chiefs have been dominant at home. In 11 games, they went 9-2 at Arrowhead, but they have won eight straight at home heading into Sunday’s contest.

Leading Andy Reid’s offense is quarterback Patrick Mahomes. During the regular season, Mahomes threw for 4,829 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

Mahomes also rushed for 381 yards and two touchdowns. Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce continue to be the best targets for the Chiefs.

This season, Hill had 111 receptions for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns. Not to be outdone, Kelce had 92 receptions for 1,125 yards and nine scores.

Defensively, the team was led by Nick Bolton (112 tackles), Chris Jones (nine sacks), and Tyrann Mathieu (three interceptions).

Take Cincinnati And The Points

If their regular-season matchup was any indication, don’t be surprised if the offenses shine on Sunday. While Mahomes has a long resume of success, Burrow has shown that the Bengals’ offense can be elite when they are clicking.

The one question for the Bengals is if they can protect Burrow. Last week, in the win over the Titans, he was sacked a whopping nine times. If that happens again, it could be a long day for the Bengals.

With that in mind, the Titans’ defense is certainly more imposing than the Chiefs, so Burrow should find more time in the pocket and be able to step up to the challenge.

It is tough to bet on them being able to beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead, but there is a lot of value in taking the points. In this case, that means taking Cincinnati +7.5.