Kansas City Chiefs: Heavy Favorites Vs Buffalo Bills
By Alec Tilson
The Kansas City Chiefs will be favored Sunday in a battle of AFC playoff contenders.
The Kansas City Chiefs (5-5) take on the Buffalo Bills and Rex Ryan this week in what could prove to be a pivotal game in the AFC playoff race. The home team is the betting favorite against a banged up quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
The Bills (5-5) took the New England Patriots to wire last week, and they’ll likely provide the Chiefs a tough matchup as well. So why are the Chiefs favored by about a touchdown on Sunday? (Payne Insider)
For one, the Chiefs are one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Only the Patriots and Carolina Panthers own longer current winning streaks. The Chiefs haven’t lost since Oct. 18. They haven’t allowed more than 18 points to an opponent since Oct. 4.
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The Chiefs defense looks like a playoff-caliber unit, and one of the emerging defenses in the league. They are fourth in the NFL against the run, allowing just 92.6 yards rushing per game. They’re tied for eighth in the NFL with 198 points allowed this season.
They’re first in the league with 60 passes defended. They second in the NFL with 14 interceptions, and seventh in the NFL in yards allowed. (ESPN.com)
And the offense? The Chiefs are second in the league with eight giveaways. They’ve lost three interceptions and five fumbles, and they’re one of the teams in the NFL in the giveaway/takeaway category.
The Bills have taken care of the ball as well this season (12 giveaways), and they’re top ten in the NFL in points scored. The Bills will be a bit of a desperate team, too, as they battle to keep pace in the chaotic AFC playoff picture.
Look for two of the promising young cornerbacks in the league on the field Sunday, too:
When Bills play Chiefs, 2 best rookie CBs in NFL will be on field - Ronald Darby & Marcus Peters. Both will be seriously considered for DROY
— Sal Capaccio 🏈 (@SalSports) November 26, 2015
Bad news for the Bills, however: Mario Williams is likely to miss the game this week, according to John Wawrow of the Associated Press. The Bills could be without its top pass rusher. That’s not good for a team that is 29th in the NFL with just 14 sacks this season.
The Chiefs and Bills are two of five teams in the AFC with a 5-5 record. The Jets, Texans and Colts are all 5-5 as well, so it could certainly be a decisive game at Arrowhead Stadium this Sunday.
In Kansas City, the tricky part (as far as betting odds) might become the weather. Cold and rainy is a possibility.
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The Kansas City Chiefs are quietly building a case for a playoff appearance, and the next most important step in getting there is taking care of the Bill at home. How do you think the Chiefs stack up today against the Buffalo Bills?