The Kansas City Chiefs may be one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL heading into 2018. The question is, do they have enough talent at the position that matters most? Patrick Mahomes will take over at quarterback, and all will eyes will be on him as he attempts to lead the Chiefs back to the playoffs.
Kansas City took a big gamble this offseason when it traded quarterback Alex Smith to the Redskins for cornerback Kendall Fuller, paving the way for Mahomes to be the starter. The team traded up for the strong-armed signal-caller in the 2017 draft so it has spent a lot of resources on him and now it’s time to see if that will pay off.
The Chiefs’ win total is not super high as the oddsmakers are in wait-and-see mode with this team, but based on all the talent it would not be a surprise at all if the Chiefs surpassed their projection in NFL gambling.
Kansas City Chiefs Opening Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
Chiefs Over 8.5 Wins +115
Chiefs Under 8.5 Wins -138
2018 Chiefs Offense Preview
While Mahomes is the wild card, there is a lot to like about this offense. The Chiefs have one of the fastest players in the NFL in Tyreek Hill. He will be lined up everywhere at the line of scrimmage and is a threat to rip off a big gain every time he touches the ball. Travis Kelce is one of the game’s more talented tight ends and should be a nice safety valve for Mahomes when he is in trouble.
Kansas City added Sammy Watkins in free agency and he figures to be another top-shelf option. Watkins didn’t put up big numbers last season with the Rams but hopes to find a niche with the Chiefs. Kansas City’s running game should be good again. Kareem Hunt led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards a season ago and should surpass 1,000 once again in 2018.
2018 Chiefs Defense Preview
Kansas City has some new faces on defenses along with some old standbys. Safety Eric Berry missed most of last season due to injury but is a Pro Bowl talent when healthy and is back to lead the secondary. Fuller is a nice piece at cornerback, while the linebackers will be led by Justin Houston and Dee Ford.
The Chiefs have had a nice front seven for a long time and while some of the old stalwarts like Tamba Hali and Dontari Poe have moved on, this group still has talent. Kansas City may not be quite as dominant on defense as in the past but if Berry and Houston play well this team should still be able to slow opposing offenses.
2018 Kansas City Chiefs Schedule Analysis
We will know a lot about this Chiefs team early on because the first six weeks of the schedule are absolutely brutal. Kansas City will open up with back-to-back road contests against the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
They will head home for a game against the revamped San Francisco 49ers before returning to the road to face the Denver Broncos. The Chiefs face off with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5 and then the New England Patriots in Week 6, the teams that made it to the AFC Championship game a year ago.
The Chiefs need to find a way to avoid being buried in the standings early on. A 3-3 record would be fine and even a 2-4 mark wouldn’t mean the end of the road. The schedule let’s up considerably from there, with a road game against the Los Angeles Rams and a home affair against the Chargers the toughest games the rest of the way.
The Final Verdict
Kansas City could take its lumps early, but don’t give up on this team. It should be able to find a groove as the season moves on and the schedule gets easier. Mahomes has a bunch of talent and will eventually figure it out.
The “over” may not feel great through six games, but this is a long season. Kansas City will come on strong and should be able to threaten a double-digit victories by the end of the year in NFL betting.
NFL Betting Odds: Kansas City Chiefs Over 8.5 Wins ( +115 )
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