Playing without their three main offensive weapons, the Kansas City Chiefs were able to outlast the inept Jaguars on Sunday for their fourth consecutive win. They did have the benefit of playing against one of the weaker teams but still managed to pull out the victory. The Chiefs likely get some reinforcements back and they sure could use them against the surging Carolina Panthers when the streaking teams meet in Week 10.
Watch this regular season Week 10 matchup live on Sunday, November 13, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium.
Odds Analysis
The Chiefs could have Alex Smith under center but the team has yet to confirm a starter. Thus, the spread and total have yet to hit the board. Kansas City’s offense struggled without Smith and Spencer Ware, settling for four field goals in a lackluster win over the Jaguars. Having a full arsenal definitely increases the Chiefs’ chances of getting a road win against a Panthers team that is playing like the defending NFC champions.
Injury Report
Jeremy Maclin – Playing without their starting quarterback and running back, the Chiefs sustained another blow against the Jaguars when Maclin left in the first quarter and didn’t return. The leading receiver aggravated a groin injury that kept him out of practice most of last week, diminishing the offensive attack. K.C. managed just 169 net passing yards and 231 total yards, but still won the game.
Ryan Kalil – With the Panthers’ Pro Bowl center out against the Rams with a shoulder injury, the offensive line surrendered five sacks and numerous other hits on Cam Newton, who threw for only 225 yards in what turned into a defensive struggle.
Matchup to Watch
One way to overcome missing your top three offensive weapons is to deny your opponent the opportunity to score. That’s what the Chiefs did on Sunday, extracting four takeaways from the Jaguars in a 19-14 victory. Kansas City has been the best in the NFL in the turnover department with a plus-13 differential and the Chiefs haven’t turned the ball over in the past four games. Over that span, K.C. is a whopping plus-10 and, not coincidentally, the Chiefs have won every game.
Turnovers in the NFL are game-changers and the Chiefs are proof of that. They lead the league with 12 interceptions and 20 takeaways and have yet to lose when winning the turnover battle. In their two losses, the Chiefs are minus-3 in turnover differential. Carolina has been generous in giving the ball up with 17 giveaways on the year and the Panthers minus-6 turnover margin ranks near the bottom of the league, though they failed to commit a turnover for the first time this season on Sunday.
Free ATS Pick
Missing three key pieces from their offense, the Chiefs turned to their defense to forge a victory over the Jaguars on Sunday. Kansas City had the benefit of playing one of the worst teams in the league, so I guess the timing was right. But they might not be so lucky this week. The Panthers are playing like they want a return trip to the postseason and still have games with all three division opponents on the docket. But there is little room for error after their 1-5 start and another defeat likely drops them out of the NFC South race.
Kansas City did just enough on Sunday to escape with a win and the chances of getting Smith and Ware back to aid the offense are high. The passing game will suffer if Maclin isn’t available, so the Chiefs will need to run the football effectively. That’s Ware’s job now that Jamaal Charles is sidelined again. The Chiefs could also have Justin Houston back for this game which would be huge for a middle-of-the-pack defense. Houston has been recovering from knee surgery and has been cleared for football-related activities. Kansas City’s success in this game hinges on the availability of their offensive weapons against a Carolina team that’s performing like last season’s squad. However, I like the Panthers at home to continue their winning ways in a game that doesn’t reach the total.
NFL Odds: Panthers 20, Chiefs 17
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