The Bengals go after their first 4-0 start since 2005 when they host the Chiefs on Sunday. Another promising start from Cincinnati isn’t surprising since they’ve been a beast in the regular season after Andy Dalton took over at quarterback. The Bengals will be judged on their postseason play and they’re in a good position for their fifth straight postseason appearance.
ODDS
Cincinnati opened as a 4.5-point favorite with the total at 44.5. The line was wagered down a full point to -3.5 before settling at its current -4. The Bengals are 3-0 ATS this season and covered the first two games as a field-goal favorite.
KEY INJURIES
Phillip Gaines – Tore the ACL in his left knee last week and will be placed on season-ending injured reserve, dealing another blow to the Chiefs pass defense. The injury opens up a roster spot for cornerback Sean Smith, who finished serving his three-game suspension and will likely start in place of Gaines.
Adam Jones – Did not practice this week with an elbow injury and is questionable for Sunday’s game. Safety George Iloka also missed practice time with an ankle injury, but he is likely to play against the Chiefs.
KEY MISMATCH
The Bengals were denied a 4-0 start last season when Tom Brady and the Patriots blasted them 43-17 in Foxborough. This year feels different for the Bengals in many respects. They’ll face a struggling Chiefs team behind quarterback Andy Dalton, who is completing 66.3 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and one interception through three games. He’s thrown for 866 yards with a passer rating of 121. Dalton will face a 3-4 Chiefs defense similar to others the Bengals have faced this season with a large amount of success. Dalton’s maturity into an elite quarterback was evident last week. After under throwing a fade route resulting in an interception and not protecting the ball while getting sacked, he responded with a laser to receiver A.J. Green for an 80-yard touchdown. Meanwhile, the Chiefs defense is coming off a game in which it surrendered 333 yards and five touchdowns to Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers.
KEY STAT
16.7 – Kansas City’s third-down conversion rate, easily the worst mark in the NFL. Cincinnati allows its opponents to convert just 35.9 percent of third down chances.
BETTING ANGLE
The Bengals have risen to the top of the AFC North and can put an early stranglehold on the division. Cincinnati is one of three AFC unbeatens while the Chiefs have drifted to the bottom of the West heading into a critical Week 4 contest for Kansas City. Cincinnati joins New England and Denver atop the AFC with 3-0 records, a mark that has yielded a 75 percent chance to reach the postseason since 1990. The Bengals are trying to go 4-0 for the first time since 2005. With Pittsburgh missing Ben Roethlisberger for the next four to six weeks, Cleveland embroiled in another quarterback controversy, and Baltimore yet to win a game, Cincy’s prospects of its second division title in three seasons look promising early.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Chiefs were not considered a threat in the AFC West for nothing at the start of the season. There is plenty of talent on the team and they were beaten on the road last week by the best team in the NFC. The NFL is fickle and there is a fine line between winning and losing. A giveaway game in Week 2 put the Chiefs in a precarious spot and suddenly everyone is asking what’s wrong with the Chiefs? I say nothing. They have the best edge rushers in the league in Justin Houston and Tamba Hali and the secondary should be upgraded with the return of Sean Smith. Alex Smith has more weapons on offense and right now doesn’t know what to do with them. Andy Reid is too good of a coach to let a talented team go to waste and the Chiefs will respond with a victory.
Kansas City 27, Cincinnati 24
BookMaker opened the spread for this Sunday matchup at -4.5 in favor of the Bengals. The NFL odds total surfaced at 44.5. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals will take place Sunday, October 4, 2015, at 1 p.m. ET at Paul Brown Stadium. The matchup will be televised live on CBS.
