New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs 2020: Prediction, Line, Odds, Betting Preview

The Kansas City Chiefs host the New England Patriots in the biggest matchup on the NFL's Week 4 schedule, and the betting odds significantly favor the defending champs.

New England is a 7-point underdog at Arrowhead Stadium, according to odds compiled by OddsShark. The betting total is 54 points.

The Chiefs might be favored by at least a touchdown at home against almost any opponent for the rest of the 2020 season. Kansas City defeated the Baltimore Ravens 34-20 Monday, becoming the seventh team with a 3-0 record and proving that the team is still the clear Super Bowl favorite.

The Patriots are 2-1 following a relatively easy 36-20 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. New England isn’t far from having a perfect record. Their only loss was a 35-30 defeat on the road against the Seattle Seahawks in which Cam Newton was stopped 2 yards shy of the end zone as time expired.

That might be the kind of game we’re in for Sunday between the last two Super Bowl champions.

With Newton under center, the Patriots have shown they can adapt to their opponent. New England ran the ball down the throats of the Raiders and Miami Dolphins for a pair of wins. When the Patriots visited MVP-favorite Russell Wilson, they competed in a shootout and let Newton throw for 397 yards.

Newton has 317 passing yards combined in New England’s wins. The Patriots lead the NFL with 178.0 rushing yards per game.

Patrick Mahomes won’t give New England the opportunity to take the air out of the ball. The reigning Super Bowl MVP is virtually incapable of playing poorly. Mahomes has 10 total touchdowns and no interceptions through three games.

In 39 career games, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to at least 23 points 38 times. That includes three matchups with New England, against whom he has a 1-2 record.

Mahomes and the Chiefs beat the Patriots 23-16 on Dec. 8 last season in a contest that came down to the wire. The quarterback was limited to 283 passing yards, one touchdown, one interception, and an 83.6 passer rating.

The greatest player in the NFL will have plenty of success, though Bill Belichick’s defense might prevent him from having a second straight four-touchdown game.

New England no longer has the league’s No.1 defense, ranking 12th through three games. Kansas City is one spot ahead of them with the No. 11 overall defense.

The Chiefs have surrendered exactly 20 points in all three games. Including the 2020 playoffs, Kansas City has allowed seven straight opponents to score at least 20 points.

The Patriots are seventh in yards per play, and the offense appears to be improved this year. New England will find ways to get into the end zone and make this a competitive game.

In the aftermath of Tom Brady's departure, the Patriots are still a force in the AFC. They just are not quite on the same level as the Chiefs, who could be starting a dynasty of their own with Mahomes under contract for the next decade-plus.

Look for Kansas City to pull out a close one and remain undefeated.

Prediction: Kansas City over New England, 30-26