Prediction 1
Kansas City (+3.5) to cover Alternate spread
(-205)
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Odds from
Prediction 2
Mahomes over 309.5 passing yards Player Prop
(-110)
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Odds from
By Lawrence Smelser
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cincinnati Bengals Week 13 matchup preview and current betting lines
The Kansas City Chiefs will travel to Paycor Stadium in Ohio to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship. The bout is set for 4:25 p.m. ET and CBS will broadcast the matchup.
The Chiefs (9-2) are currently the top-seeded team in the AFC ahead of Buffalo (9-3) and Miami (8-3). Patrick Mahomes and company will need to continue winning if they are to lock up the first-round bye for the postseason.
Kansas City has won five-straight games and enters the game on a high note after defeating the Rams, 26-10. It was a solid performance and the defense did well causing trouble for Ram’s backup quarterback John Wolford.
After starting the campaign 0-2, Cincinnati (7-4) has found its form. Zac Taylor’s men have won three games in a row over Carolina, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.
After taking a 20-13 lead early in the fourth quarter via a Tee Higgins 27-yard touchdown, the Bengals limited the Titans to just a field goal.
If the playoffs began today, Cincinnati would earn a Wildcard berth as the fifth seed in the AFC. It trails division leaders Baltimore (7-4) due to head-to-head record.
Oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook are favoring the Chiefs by 1.5 points. On the moneyline, Kansas City is -130 and Cincinnati is +130. Bettors have put 56% of their money on the Bengals to cover and 87% of bets are on the Chiefs to win outright.
Players to watch in the Chiefs vs. Bengals contest
Cincinnati
Tee Higgins: The 23-year-old is considered the wide receiver “1B” option in Cincinnati’s offense alongside Ja’Marr Chase (1A). With Chase sidelined due to injury, the pressure falls on Higgins to produce out wide. He’s done so thus far, recording 57 receptions for 826 yards (10th) and four touchdowns in 2022-2023.
Kansas City
Travis Kelce: The uber-athletic tight has torched secondaries just about every week this season. Last week, against the Rams, Kelce had a below-average day for his sky-high standards with four receptions, 57 yards and a touchdown. So far this campaign, the former Cincinnati Bearcat has garnered 73 receptions (seventh) for 912 yards (sixth) and 12 touchdowns (1st).
Our NFL bet of the week for the Chiefs vs. Bengals
ESTNN is providing bettors with two free selections for this game.
Kansas City vs. Cincinnati Alternate Spread: Chiefs +3.5 @ -205 (DraftKings)
Andy Reid and his squad are once again Super Bowl favorites along with the Bills at +450. Mahomes has become the primary candidate in most sportsbooks to win the MVP at -160. Jalen Hurts (+400) and Tua Tagovailoa (+600) round out the top three.
Since he became a starter in 2018, Mahomes has posted top-five quarterback numbers every year. This season has been no exception and the stats below indicate how well he’s played in relation to the rest of the NFL.
Patrick Mahomes Stats
Passing yards: 3,585 (1st)
Touchdown passes: 29 (1st)
Interceptions: 8 (T-25th)
Quarterback rating: 77.4 (2nd)
The Chiefs rank at the top of the league first in both scoring offense (29.6 points per game) and total offense (430 yards per game). On the other side of the ball, they’ve permitted opponents to score 22.1 points per outing (16th) and are surrendering 335.5 yards per game (14th).
The Bengals also boast a top-five scoring offense by averaging 25.1 points per contest (fifth) and are gaining 367.1 yards each week (sixth). Defensively, they are 13th in scoring defense (21) and in yards per game (328.3).
Joe Burrow has continued his growth at the quarterback position and ranks third in yards and touchdown passes. The former LSU Tiger has thrown for 3,160 yards and 23 touchdowns.
The 2019 Heisman Trophy winner has limited turnovers by throwing just eight interceptions (seventh-best) and boasts a quarterback rating of 57.7 (13th).
Cincinnati is 8-3 against the spread this season and 7-1 ATS in its last eight outings at home. Kansas City is 5-6 ATS in 2022-2023.
It’ll be a tough matchup for the Chiefs facing a Bengals team that is 4-1 at home, although Kansas City has been impressive on the road (4-1).
At ESTNN, we believe this game will come down to the wire and that Cincinnati will cover an alternate 3.5-point spread. DraftKings is offering -205 odds for the wager.
Kansas City vs. Cincinnati odds: Patrick Mahomes over 309.5 passing yards @ -110 (BetMGM)
The MVP-front runner is on pace to lead the league in passing with 325.9 passing yards per game. The 27-year-old has thrown for at least 320 passing yards in each of his last six games. Two of those contests featured 423 and 446-yard performances.
The game script will likely feature a close matchup or Kansas City needing to come from behind. This gives Mahomes a great opportunity to beat 309.5 passing yards prop on BetMGM. The sportsbook is offering -110 odds for the selection.
If you’re interested in learning about more prop bets for week 13, read our NFL player props page.
Frequently asked questions regarding Kansas City vs. Cincinnati in week 13
Kansas City has lifted two Lombardi trophies in its history. The first came in 1970 followed by the second in 2020.
If you’re interested in seeing other game lines, read our NFL Odds for this week page for more information.
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