Tennessee is one of a whopping eight clubs to make the playoffs that didn’t last year. The Titans were the AFC’s top wild-card team in their first postseason trip since 2008. Kansas City is the conference’s fourth seed as it repeated as AFC West champion – the first time in franchise history it has won a division title in back-to-back years. It’s Kansas City’s third straight season in the playoffs overall. It hasn’t won a home postseason game since following the 1993 season.

NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Titans have won the past two meetings with the Chiefs. They played Week 15 of 2016 in Kansas City, and Tennessee pulled off a 19-17 upset. Former Chief Ryan Succop kicked a 53-yard field goal as time expired – the Titans outscored the Chiefs 12-0 in the fourth quarter. Tennessee won despite turning it over three times. The weather was a major factor that day at Arrowhead Stadium as it was 1 degree at kickoff with a wind chill of minus-19. It will be reasonably warm for Kansas City on Saturday with high temperatures projected at 41 degrees and a low of 34.

The road team has covered seven of the past eight meetings in this series.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans (9-7 SU, 8-7-1 ATS) were 8-4 at one point and battling for the AFC South title before losing three straight and putting the job of Coach Mike Mularkey in jeopardy. He probably would have been fired if Tennessee hadn’t beaten visiting Jacksonville 15-10 in Week 17 to clinch a wild-card spot. It wasn’t pretty offensively as neither team had even 235 yards, but the Titans forced four Jacksonville turnovers. Marcus Mariota, who has largely regressed this year, threw for a touchdown and led the team with 60 yards rushing. Succop had three field goals. Co-No. 1 running back DeMarco Murray missed the game with an injured right knee. Remains to be seen if he can play here. The Titans are one of the most conservative offences in the NFL as they want to run the ball as much as possible and let Mariota simply manage the game.

Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City (10-6 SU, 10-6 ATS) was one of the most schizophrenic teams in the league this year. The Chiefs were the last team to lose, starting 5-0. Then they lost six of seven, only to close with four consecutive wins. Coach Andy Reid rested many starters in a meaningless Week 17 win in Denver. However, rookie running back Kareem Hunt did have one carry – and it was good for 35 yards and a TD to give Hunt the NFL rushing title with 1,327 yards. Rams running back Todd Gurley was atop the rushing list entering Week 17, but he was fully rested. Hunt became just the second rookie not drafted in the first round to win a rushing title since 1967. QB Alex Smith, who sat out Week 17, had his best season and led the NFL with a rating of 104.7. Yet his next loss likely will be his final game in a Chiefs uniform as many believe the team will trade him this offseason to make way for 2017 first-round pick Patrick Mahomes.

Weather

temp	33
condition	sunny
wind	Southeast 10mph

Injuries

Tennessee

Logan Ryan (CB)

Prob Sat Ankle - 09 / 01 / 18

Quinton Spain (G)

Prob Sat Back - 09 / 01 / 18

Brice McCain (CB)

Prob Sat Hamstring - 03 / 01 / 18

Kalan Reed (CB)

Prob Sat Concussion - 03 / 01 / 18

Da'Norris Searcy (S)

Prob Sat Illness - 03 / 01 / 18

Jonnu Smith (TE)

Prob Sat Concussion - 03 / 01 / 18

DeMarco Murray (RB)

Out Sat Knee - 24 / 12 / 17

Nate Palmer (LB)

Ques Sun Illness - 21 / 12 / 17

LeShaun Sims (CB)

I-R Hamstring - 20 / 12 / 17

Karl Klug (DL)

Prob Sun Groin - 18 / 12 / 17

Kansas City

Travis Kelce (TE)

day-to-day Concussion - 06 / 01 / 18

Tyreek Hill (WR)

Prob Sat Personal - 04 / 01 / 18

Jarvis Jenkins (DL)

Prob Sat Knee - 03 / 01 / 18

Albert Wilson (WR)

Prob Sat Hamstring - 02 / 01 / 18

Phillip Gaines (DB)

I-R Elbow - 31 / 12 / 17

De'Anthony Thomas (WR)

I-R Leg - 31 / 12 / 17

Kenneth Acker (DB)

Ques Sun Illness - 30 / 12 / 17

Rakeem Nunez-Roches (DL)

Out Sat Ankle - 30 / 12 / 17

Kevin Pierre-Louis (LB)

Ques Sat Shoulder - 30 / 12 / 17

Cameron Erving (OL)

Ques Sun Illness - 30 / 12 / 17

Injuries

Tennessee

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Logan Ryan (CB)	Prob Sat	Ankle - 09 / 01 / 18	1-0	0-1	+ -
Ryan will likely suit up against the Patriots in the AFC divisional round even though he is dealing with an ankle injury.
Quinton Spain (G)	Prob Sat	Back - 09 / 01 / 18	1-0	0-1	+ -
Spain is dealing with a back injury but is expected to be available for the AFC divisional round against the Patriots.
Brice McCain (CB)	Prob Sat	Hamstring - 03 / 01 / 18	2-0	0-2	+ -
McCain has a hamstring injury but is expected to play against the Chiefs in the AFC wild-card round.
Kalan Reed (CB)	Prob Sat	Concussion - 03 / 01 / 18	2-0	0-2	+ -
Reed is dealing with a concussion but is likely to be available for the AFC wild-card round against the Chiefs.
Da'Norris Searcy (S)	Prob Sat	Illness - 03 / 01 / 18	2-0	0-2	+ -
Searcy has come down with an illness but is expected to be available for the AFC wild-card round against the Chiefs.
Jonnu Smith (TE)	Prob Sat	Concussion - 03 / 01 / 18	2-0	0-2	+ -
Smith is going through concussion protocol but is expected to be cleared in time for the AFC wild-card round against the Chiefs.
DeMarco Murray (RB)	Out Sat	Knee - 24 / 12 / 17	4-0	2-2	+ -
Murray suffered a third-degree MCL tear and will not be available for the AFC divisional round against the Patriots.
Nate Palmer (LB)	Ques Sun	Illness - 21 / 12 / 17	4-0	2-2	+ -
Palmer is ailing from an illness and it is undetermined if it will keep him out of Sunday's lineup against the Rams.
LeShaun Sims (CB)	I-R	Hamstring - 20 / 12 / 17	4-0	2-2	+ -
Sims hurt his hamstring and is on the injured reserve list.
Karl Klug (DL)	Prob Sun	Groin - 18 / 12 / 17	4-0	2-2	+ -
Klug has a groin injury but is expected to play against the Rams on Sunday.

Kansas City

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Travis Kelce (TE)	day-to-day	Concussion - 06 / 01 / 18	1-0	1-0	+ -
Kelce left Saturday's game with a concussion and will not return.
Tyreek Hill (WR)	Prob Sat	Personal - 04 / 01 / 18	1-0	1-0	+ -
Hill is expected to play Saturday against the Titans despite dealing with a personal issue.
Jarvis Jenkins (DL)	Prob Sat	Knee - 03 / 01 / 18	1-0	1-0	+ -
Jenkins is battling a knee injury but is expected to play against the Titans in the AFC wild-card round.
Albert Wilson (WR)	Prob Sat	Hamstring - 02 / 01 / 18	1-0	1-0	+ -
Wilson has a hamstring injury but is expected to be available for the AFC wild-card round against the Titans.
Phillip Gaines (DB)	I-R	Elbow - 31 / 12 / 17	2-0	1-1	+ -
Gaines has an elbow injury and has been placed on the injured reserve list.
De'Anthony Thomas (WR)	I-R	Leg - 31 / 12 / 17	2-0	1-1	+ -
Thomas sustained a broken tibia and is on the injured reserve list.
Kenneth Acker (DB)	Ques Sun	Illness - 30 / 12 / 17	2-0	1-1	+ -
Acker has an illness and his status is unknown for Sunday's game against the Broncos.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches (DL)	Out Sat	Ankle - 30 / 12 / 17	2-0	1-1	+ -
Nunez-Roches is nursing a right ankle injury and will be inactive against the Titans in the AFC wild-card round.
Kevin Pierre-Louis (LB)	Ques Sat	Shoulder - 30 / 12 / 17	2-0	1-1	+ -
Pierre-Louis is dealing with a shoulder injury and his status against the Titans in the AFC wild-card round is up in the air.
Cameron Erving (OL)	Ques Sun	Illness - 30 / 12 / 17	2-0	1-1	+ -
Erving has come down with an illness, leaving his availability against the Broncos on Sunday in question.

Titans vs. Chiefs Prediction