There are many ways one can digest the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs have lost a match in the 2024 regular season. Supporters, rivals, and neutrals all have their say about what it means. For the Chiefs themselves, it’s best to simply move on. The Panthers have enjoyed a lot recently, which might sound surprising. They enjoyed a bye in Week 11 and are coming off back-to-back wins.

Unbelievably, our NFL odds actually believe Carolina will-…just kidding. The Chiefs are -11 favourites.

NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis

Kansas City and Carolina don’t battle each other often. There have only been four meetings in the past 16 years. The second-most recent meeting (2016) was before QB Patrick Mahomes was even drafted by the Chiefs (2017). Be that as it may, the Missouri-based franchise holds a 3-1 edge over that span. Of note, the only time Mahomes faced the Panthers was a very narrow 33-31 victory in 2020.

What an unexpected campaign for head coach Andy Reid and his unit. Week after week they haven’t played up to level most expect of them, yet they were 9-0 heading into Buffalo last week. Consider that the Chiefs are only 5-5 ATS this season. KC has failed to cover four times in a row. They have won by a touchdown or less seven times. These are the cardiac kids, not the high-flying Chiefs.

There is no point beating around the bush for the Panthers. This has not been a good season. Granted, they’ve strung together a pair of victories (against mediocre sides) and QB Bryce Young has looked better. Not great, but better. Then again, he looked terrible before. With the 32^nd ranked offence for points scored and yards gained per match and the 32nd ranked defence in points allowed per contest, it’s no wonder Carolina is 3-7 against the spread.

Kansas City Chiefs

At the conclusion of CBS’s broadcast of the Chiefs-Bills game in Week 11, as Mahomes and company trudged off the field in disappointment, colour commentator Tony Romo said something interesting. Wrapping up a division title and possibly a conference top seed too early might be a bad thing. The fire to win burns brighter than potential complacency.

So here come the Chiefs, rolling into Carolina after suffering a 30-21 loss against arch-rivals the Buffalo Bills. How different was the performance from games where the Chiefs didn’t look great yet somehow won? For one, keep Mahomes, Kareem Hunt, Xavier Worthy, and Noah Gray away from the ball and you give yourself a chance. The Chiefs only had a 25:57 time of possession.

They also gave up 30 points for the first time since the Super Bowl two years ago against the Eagles. So it was a vastly different day at the office than Kansas City is used to. By the same token, they’ve mustered a 9-1 straight-up record without WR Hollywood Brown (IR) ever stepping onto the football field this season and RB Isiah Pacheco also recently placed on IR. They have options to bounce back.

Carolina Panthers

All of the above in the Chiefs section of this preview begs the question: “Can the Panthers win this game?” The odds say not a chance.

Young is 33^rd among QBs with at least four starts in pass completion percentage (60.1). He’s also 31^st among gunslingers with four starts in average yards per pass with 5.4. What he and WRs Xavier Legette, Jalen Coker, and David Moore will do versus the NFL’s fifth-best passing defence is anyone’s guess. Then again, as per Pro Football Network, the Panthers’ offensive line is ranked ninth-best.

Carolina is especially thin at running back, with Miles Sanders (undisclosed) doubtful and Jonathan Brooks questionable (knee)

After wins over the Saints and Giants, defeating the Chiefs would be quite the feather in their cap. It remains a long shot, however. A very long shot.

Who Will Win Chiefs vs. Panthers?