Best Bet – Win AFC West (-155)
Worst Bet – Super Bowl Winner (+800)
The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off a highly successful season. Head Coach Andy Reid has found his franchise quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, who took the league by storm last year. The Chiefs came up just short of their ultimate goal of reaching the Super Bowl as they lost in the AFC Championship to the eventual Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. On a higher note, Mahomes had an outstanding season as he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. If Mahomes can replicate his 2018 season in 2019, the Chiefs will be scary good.
Mahomes had plenty of weapons on the offensive side of the ball last season as Kareem Hunt and Tyreek Hill accounted for over 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns. However, Hunt was released last November after a video surfaced of him pushing and kicking a woman and has since moved to the Cleveland Browns. Like Hunt, Hill has also had an off-the-field incident but the NFL will not be suspending him. Still, Kansas City should still have one of the top offensive units in the league, as even without Hunt they still have plenty of weapons.
Georgia speedster Mecole Hardman, a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, should give the Chiefs a lift at receiver opposite Hill. Mahomes passed for 50 touchdowns last season and will need all the weapons he can get his hands on if he is to replicate anywhere near that many. Carlos Hyde is a solid addition to give the Chiefs depth at the running back position, as he will compete with Damien Williams for the number one slot.
The offensive line and defense still have some question marks but the Chiefs are in a good spot being led by Reid and Mahomes. However, if it comes down to it, and they need to make plays on the defense, there are still many questions especially in the secondary. The secondary is coming off a season where they gave up over 400 yards passing per game. The Chiefs made a big splash by signing Tyrann Mathieu, but they still are lacking that shutdown corner, although Bashaud Breeland and Kendall Fuller will try their hardest to make plays. The Chiefs will need to get a pass rush as well if they hope to make it past the AFC Championship this season, and even though they added Frank Clark they got rid of Dee Ford and Justin Houston.
Chiefs Win Total: O/U 10.5 Wins
Oddsmakers are setting the bar high for the Chiefs and for good reason, as they went 12-4 a season ago en route to the AFC West Division title and an AFC Championship Game appearance. Kansas City has posted double-digit wins in each of the last five seasons and five of the last six. They haven’t had a losing season since 2012 and loook set for what could be another deep playoff run. Behind the coaching brilliance of Reid and defending MVP Mahomes, the Chiefs along with their young talent around him, could be set to finally break through with a shot at the Super Bowl.
The pair of Hyde and Williams makes the backfield for Kansas City all the more intriguing as both are very capable backs in their own rights. Hyde is a little more established, having been the starting back in San Francisco and Cleveland at various points. Williams really became the go-to back late in the year last season, once the Hunt incident went down, and he now finds himself with a shot at being the number-one back heading into camp. We can’t forget the importance of tight end Travis Kelce who is coming off a strong season, with 103 catches for over 1,336 yards and 10 touchdowns. Last season’s record was a good one, and it’s not hard to see why the Chiefs should have a great chance to replicate the success. It’s a smart play to back the Chiefs to win more than 10.5 games
Odds To Make The Playoffs: Yes -400, No +300
The Chiefs and playoffs have known each other well, especially in the last four seasons. Kansas City hasn’t missed the playoffs since the 2014 season. To make the playoffs in the AFC last season you had to win at least 10 games, which in most cases is a hard thing to do in this day in age of the NFL. However, the Chiefs haven’t had any problems winning that amount in the last four seasons as they have posted four straight seasons of double-digit wins.
The Chiefs won their division last season, and it was a tight race in the AFC West as the Chargers were right behind them as both teams won 12 games. Phillip Rivers isn’t getting any younger and with that in mind, it’s hard to see the Chargers overtaking the Chiefs in the division race. The Broncos and Raiders are both in rebuilds so things look very promising for the Chiefs to make the playoffs. The Chiefs making the playoffs should pretty much be a lock, and that is why ‘yes’ is a good play here.
Odds To Win AFC West: -155
No shocker here as the Kansas City Chiefs are once again favored to take the AFC West crown. For good reason, as the Chiefs have won the division three consecutive years. Although the most recent one was the tightest yet, as the Chargers came up just short of dethroning the current kings of the West. Other than the Chargers, the Broncos might be the only other threat in the AFC West, as they break in a new man under center in either Joe Flacco or rookie Drew Lock, but until that is answered the Broncos could be out of contention to overthrow the Chiefs and Chargers at the top.
The Chargers could slack-off some so the Chiefs look like the valuable team in the AFC West. The Raiders are the only real question mark, they always seem to sneak back into play. That being said, Los Angeles might be the only real team standing in the way of Kansas City taking the crown for the fourth consecutive season. If Lock or Flacco can turn the Broncos around then they could easily be the darkhorse in the division. Chiefs are the favorites for a reason and they have what it takes to win.
Odds To Win AFC Championship: 4/1
The Chiefs might be the only real team that could break through and knocks off the New England Patriots when it comes to the AFC Championship. They came up just short in overtime in lasts season’s Championship, and Mahomes looks like the next in line to try and dethrone the six-time Super Bowl Champions. Kansas City went from a Wild Card round loss in 2017 to the AFC Championship Game in 2018. Look for them to try to make the next step in 2019. The Chief’s should have a great shot to win the AFC Championship.
Odds To Win Super Bowl: 8/1
Similar thinking in regards to the Super Bowl for the Chiefs, they were six points short in an overtime loss in the AFC Championship last season. Reid guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl way back in 2004, can he guide the Chiefs back for the first time since 1970 in Super Bowl IV? If they can get by Brady and the Patriots in the AFC, then there is no reason why the Kansas City won’t have a great shot at winning the Super Bowl. Backing the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl when they have the second-best odds of all teams isn’t a bad play.
