Andy Reid has always had a stigma about him that he can keep his teams competitive but can't ultimately get the squad over the top. That's the case with the Kansas City Chiefs as well. KC had about as good of a season as it could have had last year, going 12-4 and winning the AFC West. As the No. 2 seed in the AFC, the Chiefs were bounced in their first playoff game by the Steelers. The oddsmakers aren't feeling nearly as good about them this year as they were last season, tipping them to win just nine games.
Kansas City Chiefs Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
Chiefs Over 9 Wins -115
Chiefs Under 9 Wins -115
2017 Chiefs Offense Preview
One of the great unanswered questions from the offseason is what in the heck the Chiefs were doing by cutting Jeremy Maclin. Maclin was the most consistent true wide receiver last season, but now, there isn't really a target that is going to be available for Alex Smith aside from Tyreek Hill.
Hill is a speedster, and he's evolving into a respectable route runner as well, but he's still not reliable as a primary receiver and is going to need more help. Can Chris Conley step into that role? Maybe. But it's a stretch for sure.
That's going to put a lot of pressure on Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware, both of whom could easily touch the ball 200 times this season in a split backfield.
2017 Chiefs Defense Preview
The Chiefs are going to rely on their defense once again this year for sure. Tamba Hali, Dee Ford and Justin Houston are all excellent pass rushers. Let's also remember that Marcus Peters is one of the best corners in the league, while Eric Berry, albeit incredibly overpaid as a top safety, is a game-changer. Could there be four Pro Bowlers on this defense? You betcha.
Just remember that Kansas City ranked No. 24 in total defense and No. 26 against the run last season. Proportionately, this team shouldn't have only allowed 19.4 points per game, No. 7 in the NFL. Regression could be in the cards.
2017 Kansas City Chiefs Schedule Analysis
The schedule this season is going to be a nightmare for Kansas City. The team feels like it's virtually guaranteed to start the year at 0-1 when it opens up at New England. The Chiefs also have to play road games against the Texans, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants and Broncos, all of whom were great teams last season and should be at least contenders for the playoffs this year.
The NFC East is probably the toughest division to play against in the opposite conference, and playing a first place schedule in the AFC is asking for trouble.
The key stretch of the season will be in October and the beginning of November. The Chiefs have to play at Houston, home against Pittsburgh, at Oakland, home against Denver and at Dallas, and that's very possibly an 0-5 stretch of games if the team isn't careful.
The Final Verdict
The Chiefs feel like they're set to take a nosedive this year, and we wouldn't be shocked if they finish dead last in the division. This team traded a couple first round picks to trade up for Patrick Mahomes II. He isn't ready to start quite yet, but this is going to be his team by the end of the season if things aren't going well. Once teams figure out how to keep the ball away from Hill on special teams and key in on him when he's running around on offense, we think this team will go from a 12-win wonder to a 6-10 squad in a hurry.
NFL Odds: Kansas City Chiefs Under 10.5 Wins (-115)
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