Chiefs vs. Titans Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction
Week 16 of the NFL features a ton of crucial games as it pertains to the playoff picture. However, one of the games that no longer has much meaning will see the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Tennessee Titans.
That is not to say that there is not some incentive for both teams to give it their best effort. Kansas City will try to avoid having a losing season for the first time in many years, but will have to do so without QB Patrick Mahomes. Meanwhile, Tennessee will want to continue to develop its rookie quarterback, Cam Ward.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
When looking at the NFL odds for this game, we can see that the Kansas City Chiefs are the road favourites, which is no surprise given the fact that the Titans are yet to win at home this season (0-7).
While Kansas City looks to clearly be the better team, the Chiefs have struggled against the spread this season. They are 5-9 ATS overall and 1-5 ATS on the road. As for Tennessee, despite their terrible overall record, they have been a decent team against the spread, posting a 6-8 ATS record overall and a 3-4 ATS record at home so far this season.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs enter this game with an overall record of 6-8, and as of last week, have been eliminated from playoff contention. Kansas City lost to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15 by a score of 16-13 to seal its fate.
The biggest news moving forward is the injury to their quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. He tore his ACL against the Chargers, ending his season. With this injury, backup quarterback Gardner Minshew will take over as the starting quarterback for the final three games. Additionally, wide receiver Rashee Rice is questionable for this matchup, which would further hamper their offence.
Tennessee Titans
As for Tennessee, the Titans enter this game with a record of 2-12. They most recently lost to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15 by a score of 37-24. Tennessee has been one of, if not the worst home teams in the NFL, having lost all seven of its games. Despite their horrible record, their rookie quarterback, Cam Ward, has shown some improvement throughout the season, which is promising going forward.
Like the Chiefs, the Titans also have numerous injuries, including safety Amani Hooker and linebacker Cedric Gray. However, both of these guys are questionable and could return Sunday.
NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Chiefs vs. Titans?
The injury to Mahomes is a huge blow to the Chiefs, and given that they have been eliminated from the playoffs, it is possible that this could be a letdown game for them. As mentioned previously, the Chiefs have been terrible at covering the spread, and that was with Mahomes under center. Having Minshew at quarterback could further hurt the Chiefs’ offence, which has already been inconsistent this season.
Because of this, and because the Titans have looked more competitive recently, I will back the Tennessee Titans to cover +3, though I expect the Kansas City Chiefs to win 21-20.
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