Kansas City Chiefs vs Cincinnati Bengals Prediction & Betting Tips - NFL

Prediction published on 29/12/2023, 16:25  by Matthew Newman in NFL Prediction

The 9-6 Kansas City Chiefs will welcome the 8-7 Cincinnati Bengals to Arrowhead on Sunday for a game that has been a superb spectacle when these teams have clashed in recent seasons. There is a bit of a different feel about this one, even at the end of the season as the Chiefs have been struggling badly to win games while the Bengals have been adapting to life without Joe Burrow. Injuries late in the season are starting to bite the Chiefs who have not seen Isiah Pacheco in practice due to a concussion sustained against the Las Vegas Raiders last week. His backup running back Clyde Edwards-Hilaire has also been sidelined with sickness. Add in wide receiver Kadarius Toney who is struggling with a hip issue and the Chiefs could look very thin on offence on Sunday. Scoring points has been their biggest problem all season but luckily for them, there is only one team who have given up fewer points which has kept them in games. Their last five losses have all seen them put up less than 20 points which is something that they need to sort before the playoffs.

Until a disappointing defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals were playing some solid football. Three straight wins were brought to a halt when they gave up 34 points to the Steelers, the most that any team has scored on them all season. The Steelers are ranked 28th of the 32 teams in points scored so that has to go down as a very poor effort which was not helped by turning the ball over three times. They are arriving in Kansas City at a good time with the Chiefs struggling to put anything together. They have played one another in the AFC Championship game the last two seasons, both of those clashes were in Kansas City with the teams winning one apiece. The return of Ja'Marr Chase would be a big plus for their chances after missing the Steelers game, he can prove the difference maker if he starts.