One of the NFL’s Week 2 marquee matchups will see Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs host Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 4:25 p.m. ET.
The Chiefs opened the campaign with a nervy 27-20 home victory over the Baltimore Ravens, who came within inches of potentially forcing overtime on the game’s final play. However, Baltimore’s Isaiah Likely came down just out of bounds on a would-be touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson.
The Bengals weren’t so lucky in Week 1, as two lost fumbles cost them dearly in a shocking 16-10 home loss to the New England Patriots. The Cincinnati defense struggled to contain Pats RB Rhamondre Stevenson, and the offense never really got going without Tee Higgins (hamstring).
As we prepare for another epic battle between Mahomes and Burrow, who clashed in back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2021 and 2022, let’s examine the latest betting odds for this Week 2 matchup and dig into my Bengals vs Chiefs prediction and best bets.
Bengals vs Chiefs Odds
NFL odds are current as of Tuesday, Sept. 10, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Bengals (+205) vs Chiefs (-250)
- Spread: Bengals +6 (-115) vs Chiefs -6 (-105)
- Over/Under: Over 47.5 (-112) / Under 47.5 (-108)
Bengals vs Chiefs Predictions
Chiefs 24, Bengals 20
If what we’ve seen in the past is any indication, this game should be competitive. Burrow is 3-1 straight up against Mahomes, and all four previous meetings have been decided by three points.
One of the reasons for that is Bengals DC Lou Anurumo, who has made great adjustments to slow down Kansas City’s offense in past matchups. His unit relies heavily on the secondary, which brought back safety Vonn Bell this offseason and paired him with former Raven Geno Stone.
Cincy’s defense wasn’t dominant in Week 1 against a Patriots offense that many expect to be one of the worst in the NFL, but it wasn’t the problem, either. The Bengals allowed an average of 4.5 yards per play and limited New England QB Jacoby Brissett to 121 passing yards.
The biggest concern was Cincy’s offense, which turned the ball over in the red zone, went 4-for-11 on third downs, and didn’t create many explosive plays. Another week of practice for Ja’Marr Chase will help, but I don’t think the Bengals have enough to keep up if Higgins remains out.
Sportsbook Play of the Day
Bengals vs Chiefs Best Bets
Under 47.5 Points (-108)
Taking the Under in a Chiefs game never feels good, especially since it looks like this offense will be more explosive this season. Rookie wideout Xavier Worthy made an impact with two scores in Week 1, and Hollywood Brown will add more speed when he returns from injury, potentially as soon as this week.
That said, Unders have hit in 62.1% of Chiefs home games since Andy Reid took over in 2013, the highest percentage in the NFL during that span. That’s because Reid will never run up the score late, and Mahomes has contributed by expertly grinding the clock down with a lead in the fourth quarter.
Additionally, KC should emphasize Isiah Pacheco in the run game, especially since Cincy will be focused on preventing big plays. Given the Bengals’ inability to create many on offense, I’m backing the Under as one of my best NFL bets today.
Bengals +6 (-115)
Reid’s teams are typically reliable with extra time to prepare, but this spread is an overreaction to Cincy’s Week 1 loss. The lookahead line for this game was KC -3.5.
There’s no denying that the Chiefs are the class of the NFL, but they also almost lost in Week 1 at home. If Likely’s toes stay inbounds, this line is at most KC -4 or 4.5.
Take the points with the Bengals at anything six or above.
