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Edgar Chaput
Raiders vs. Chiefs Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction
Christmas Day features a trio of NFL matches. Things kick off at 1 PM with one of the league’s oldest rivalries when the Las Vegas Raiders visit the Kansas City Chiefs. Las Vegas’ playoff hopes hang by the thinnest of threads and would require a million things to happen in its favour. They are feeling good about themselves after walloping the Chargers 63-21 in Week 15. The Chiefs rekindled their winning ways against the Patriots 27-17 and are now 9-5.
Kansas City is a heavy favourite in this game, with the NFL odds currently pinning them at -10.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
There are no two ways about it. The Kansas City Chiefs utterly dominate the Raiders in head-to-head matchups. Not only has the Missouri-based ensemble earned nine wins in 10 games, but seven of those were by two scores or more (and many by a lot more than just two scores). Case in point: their first meeting this season was a few weeks ago in Nevada. The Raiders jumped out to an impressive 14-0 lead before the Chiefs stormed back to win 31-17 regardless.
Las Vegas is still 7-5-2 ATS, which isn’t half bad at all. Then again, given what we just wrote, even taking them at +10 versus the Chiefs is risky business. Kansas City specializes in squashing the silver and black. Arguably one of the more intriguing aspects of this game is how the Chiefs’ offence will stack up against the Raiders’ defence. Vegas has improved to 17th in the NFL, giving up 20.0 points a game and has looked much, much better since Antonio Pierce became interim head coach.
Conversely, the Chiefs are not nearly as impressive as in years past when attacking. The unit as a whole is not performing up to par. Scoring 22.8 points a match is good, but nothing special. That goes some ways to explaining why the over is only 5-9 in their case. Versus spreads the Chiefs have mustered a 7-7 tally, which is nothing to write home about either. As the adage goes, winning a championship is tough, but defending said title is even tougher.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have just experienced one of the oddest four-day stretches in NFL history. After laying an embarrassing goose egg at home in Week 14 against the Vikings by losing 3-0, they then hammered the Los Angeles Chargers 63-21 on Thursday night.
Where that onslaught came from is up for debate and there are several possible answers. The Raiders still have some pride in them and wanted to make up for the pathetic performance a few days earlier. On the flip side, it was no secret that things were dire with the Chargers and it was one of those games when one team sent empty helmets onto the field. QB Aidan O’Connell was 20-for-34, 248 yards and four TDs. Davante Adams had a rare breakout game with 101 yards and one score. Lesser-known WR Tre Tucker scored a pair as well. Divine Deablo had 12 total tackles and CB Jack Jones scored what looked like the easiest pick-six ever.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs needed the game in New England versus the Patriots in Week 15 badly. Defeating the Patriots in 2023 doesn’t mean all that much, but Kansas City had to quickly course-correct.
The 27-17 victory still wasn’t perfect. New England picked off Patrick Mahomes twice, which kept the game somewhat within reach even though the hosts were not at the same level overall. Most of the stats looked good: the Chiefs’ defence limited the Pats to 10 first downs and barely 200 yards of offence. Favourites Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Rashee Rice scored TDs. It was the sort of game in which the team everyone knew was better got the job done. Workmanlike. But it isn’t winning over the Patriots (or even the Raiders) that will tell how far this iteration of the Chiefs go this season.
LV
KC