.jpg "Raiders-at-Chiefs-(CBS)")
After a dominant start to the season, the Kansas City Chiefs have fallen to .500, and now sit in a three-way tie atop the AFC West. The Oakland Raiders are one of the other teams at 6-6 on the year in the division and these two teams will face off in a crucial Week 14 showdown.
The Raiders were fantastic a season ago but have been mediocre in 2017. However, Kansas City’s troubles of late have opened up the door to the playoffs with a hot finish. The Los Angeles Chargers are the other team tied atop the division and are playing the best of all of them, so the Chiefs and Raiders would both love to get this win to keep pace.
The Chiefs are the better team and are playing at home so they will be favored, although that hasn’t worked out in recent games where they have been pegged to win but have come out on the wrong end of things. This will be an interesting game to see which team can shake an underwhelming pace and maybe pick up enough momentum to win the division.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 14 game is set for Sunday, December 10, 2017, at 1 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium.
Opening NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Oakland Raiders +3.5
Kansas City Chiefs -3.5
Over/Under 47.5
Odds Analysis
The Chiefs have been favored in each of their past three games and lost all of them outright, so it’s not a surprise that 75 percent of the early money is on the Raiders to cover this spread. Kansas City would love to buck this trend and get back on track. It is still 6-6 against the spread on the season despite the recent issues.
The scoring total is pretty high based on each team’s penchant for scoring and some issues on defense. The “under” is getting the majority of the money early on.
Injury Report
Mitch Morse — The Chiefs starting center left Sunday’s game against the Jets with a foot injury in the second quarter and did not return. It’s unclear at this point whether the injury is to the same leg that had him sidelined early this year. He is currently listed as questionable.
Amari Cooper — The Raiders wide receiver missed Sunday’s game against the Giants after suffering a concussion and spraining his ankle against the Broncos in Week 12. The former first round pick has 42 catches for 499 yards this season. It’s unclear if he’ll be back this week.
David Amerson — The Raiders cornerback missed his fifth straight game last week with a foot injury. Amerson was limited in practice last week. It is a nagging injury and Oakland could really use him as the depth at the position is being tested.
Last Meeting
These two teams played in a thriller earlier in the season in Oakland. The Raiders ended up winning the game by a score of 31-30 when Derek Carr found Michael Crabtree for a touchdown on an untimed down at the end of regulation.
The Raiders scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter of that one to come away with the win. Crabtree was suspended for one game last time out after he got into a fight with cornerback Aqib Talib, but is now back in the fold for this one.
If Kansas City had come away with a win in the first matchup by holding strong on the final play, it would have improved the Chiefs’ record to 6-1 on the year. Instead, they fell, and it has been tough sledding ever since. If the Raiders can pull this upset, it is basically a two-game lead because they will have the head-to-head advantage on the season.
Free ATS Pick
The Chiefs have some issues right now, but Oakland is not that good of a team in 2017. Kansas City should be able to straighten out and grab this win. The Chargers are the bigger concern as they are playing very well.
The Raiders may hang around for a few more weeks in the division but the Chiefs are going to pick up this much-needed win to break their four-game losing streak.
NFL Odds: Chiefs 31, Raiders 24
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
