The Kansas City Chiefs put an eye toward the future when they traded up in the draft to select Patrick Mahomes in the first round. However, they still have big plans for the present. The Chiefs went 12-4 last season and made it to the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. However, their season ended in the AFC Divisional Round and they haven’t made it to the AFC Championship game in that span. Kansas City has one of the better teams in football, but it’s hard to see it as one of the Super Bowl favorites as presently constructed.
Super Bowl 52 Odds at BookMaker.eu
New England Patriots +310
Dallas Cowboys +1000
Seattle Seahawks +1100
Green Bay Packers +1200
Pittsburgh Steelers +1300
Atlanta Falcons +1500
Oakland Raiders +1500
Kansas City Chiefs +2000
Denver Broncos +2500
New York Giants +2500
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +2800
Carolina Panthers +3000
Houston Texans +3000
Arizona Cardinals +3500
Minnesota Vikings +3500
Indianapolis Colts +4000
Tennessee Titans +4000
Baltimore Ravens +4500
Philadelphia Eagles +5000
New Orleans Saints +5000
Cincinnati Bengals +5500
Los Angeles Chargers +6500
Miami Dolphins +6500
Detroit Lions +6500
Washington Redskins +6500
Jacksonville Jaguars +8000
Buffalo Bills +9000
Chicago Bears +12500
Los Angeles Rams +15000
San Francisco 49ers +30000
Cleveland Browns +30000
New York Jets +30000
Key Factors For Winning the Super Bowl
Quarterback Play - The Chiefs have a great defense but aren’t viewed as an elite team because they don’t have a star under center. Alex Smith is one of the better game managers in the NFL but in the postseason quarterbacks are counted on to win games. Smith finished last season with 3,502 yards passing and only 15 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He doesn’t make many mistakes but also doesn’t single-handedly win games for his team. In a conference with Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger, Smith needs to be more aggressive in key moments. Kansas City drafted his antithesis in Mahomes, but Smith will continue to lead the team this season.
More Dominant Defense – The Chiefs’ success is based upon their swarming defense. Kansas City allowed only 19.4 points per game a season ago, which was seventh in the NFL. Many of the key pieces are back. Safety Eric Berry is one of the best in the game at his position, while Marcus Peters has transformed into an elite cornerback. The team has one of the most impressive linebacker groups in football, with Dee Ford, Justin Houston, Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson all capable of wreaking havoc. Nose tackle Dontari Poe departed in the offseason and he is a key piece to replace. Kansas City’s defense will once again lead the way as the team pushes for a high seed in the postseason.
An Abundance Of Explosive Plays – With Smith at quarterback, the Kansas City passing game is never going to be top flight. The team hopes to make up for that with big plays from their skill players. Kansas City will no longer have star running back Jamaal Charles to lead the way as he has departed for the Broncos. Spencer Ware led the team in rushing last season and is back, but the biggest key will be speed demon Tyreek Hill. He dominated on punt returns a season ago as a rookie and should have a bigger role in the offense. If the Chiefs can scheme ways to get Hill in space, he could have a huge year. Kansas City doesn’t have a ton of offensive weapons, especially after releasing Jeremy Maclin this offseason, so players like Ware, Hill and tight end Travis Kelce must be game-changers. The Chiefs have a lot of depth and should definitely be a playoff contender in 2017. However, for them to truly become a threat to win the Super Bowl, the offense must take a step forward.
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