When the Kansas City Chiefs began their 2014 season with a home loss by 16 points at the hands of the Tennessee Titans, there were a lot of naysayers talking about how last year’s playoff run was really nothing but a fluke. But through the course of this season, the Chiefs have answered a lot of those doubters, and on Thursday night they will be seeking their sixth victory in a row when they pay a visit to the Oakland Raiders in NFL betting action that begins at 8:25 PM ET at the Coliseum in Oakland. This game will be televised live by the NFL Network, with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms providing the commentary.
Kansas City has a 7-3 straight-up record on the season, and have won five dreams in a row. After losing 26-10 to Tennessee, they have registered nine straight covers against the football pointspread. Oakland is a 0-10, with a 5-5 record against the points.
These teams have not yet met this season, so Oakland faces potential double trouble with the Chiefs on their way to trying to avoid the shame of a losing season.
In the NFL betting lines that are posted at America’s Bookie on this game, the Chiefs are laying points on the road:
Kansas City Chiefs -7.5
Oakland Raiders +7.5
Over 42.5 points -110
Under 42.5 points -110
Kansas City doesn’t do a whole lot that is spectacular, but they have a highly efficient offense. The Chiefs rank in the top ten in the league in points scored per drive, time of possession per drive, and least turnovers per drive, while the Raiders are at or near the bottom in all of those statistics. Yet this is a team that has gained about the same amount of yardage overall as its opponents, and they don’t even have a touchdown pass to a wide receiver this year, which is remarkable.
America’s Bookie customers are well aware, however, that Kansas City is a group of “road warriors.” In fact, they have covered twelve of their last 13 games as the visitor during the regular season. That is something Andy Reid has done a lot in his coaching career, going back to his days with the Philadelphia Eagles. Kansas City has turned the ball over only ten times in 10 games, with Alex Smith throwing just four interceptions in 291 attempts. And even though Smith often attracts criticism for not getting the ball down the field, he still has a big edge in that department over his counterpart, rookie Derek Carr.
NFL bettors witnessed Jamaal Charles’ first 100-yard game of the season last week in Seattle, as he rumbled for 159. Here is another amazing statistic – while the Chiefs have scored 16 rushing touchdowns this season, they have not allowed one as of yet. And consider that last week they played a Seattle squad that had run for 350 yards the week before against the New York Giants.
Kansas City has also become known as a fourth-quarter team. Over the course of 10 games, they have allowed only 28 points in the final stanza, and that averages out to less than a field goal per game. It’s a pretty good bet they will have more than the 24 minutes of possession they had against Seattle last week, as they hold opponents to 35% success on third down, while Oakland has converted less than 34%. We’ll see if Justin Houston, who has a dozen sacks this season, can get to Carr, who usually gets the ball out of his hands before the opponent can register a sack (only 11 this season).
In last year’s two meetings, Kansas City fourth 10 Oakland turnovers in the process of outscoring them by a total of 80-38 in the season sweep. Should NFL bettors at America’s Bookie expect more of the same on Thursday night?
