Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens: Betting Odds, Score Prediction For Big AFC Matchup

After capping off a tumultuous weekend with a 40-33 win against the Oakland Raiders (2-10), the Kansas City Chiefs (10-2) have a home date with the hot Baltimore Ravens (7-5). The Ravens are winners of three straight and within striking distance of the NFC North crown. The Chiefs, meanwhile, need to keep up the pace to win the AFC West and get the top seed in the AFC.

The Chiefs are 6.5-point home favorites, according to OddsShark. The Ravens are expected to compete with the high-scoring Chiefs using a top-10 rushing attack and the league’s best defense in terms of scoring and total yards. Baltimore holds opponents to just 87.2 rushing yards per game, good for third in the league.

The Chiefs were able to manufacture rushing yards against the lowly Raiders, but it remains to be seen if bringing back Charcandrick West will keep the Chiefs offense humming after losing Kareem Hunt. By the way, the Ravens have the second best pass defense in the NFL.

Baltimore’s overall offense is slightly above the league average, but their 129.2 rushing yards per game are the 7th most in the NFL. The Chiefs are near the bottom of the league in most defensive categories, having just given up 33 points to a hapless Raiders team.

Making matters worse for the Chiefs is that they do not yet know which Ravens quarterback they will face. Rookie Lamar Jackson is 3-0 as a starter, though his opponents thus far (the Bengals, Raiders and Falcons) have a combined 11-24 record. Longtime starter Joe Flacco is still recovering from a hip injury, but could play this week.

Flacco is a more polished passer at this point, but Jackson’s rushing ability has fueled the Ravens’ winning streak. He registered 119, 71 and 75 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in his three wins.

Prediction: The Chiefs looked out of sync against the Raiders, but still put up 40 points. Andy Reid will have a full week to build an offense without Kareem Hunt and a tough home environment backing it up. Baltimore is good and will keep it close, but if quarterback Patrick Mahomes plays a clean game, the Chiefs will win.

Chiefs win, 30-23