On Sunday afternoon, the Kansas City Chiefs (12-1, 5-8 ATS, 6-7 O/U) will face off against the Cleveland Browns (3-10, 4-9 ATS, 6-7 O/U) in an exciting AFC matchup. The Chiefs come into this game after a home victory against the Los Angeles Chargers, while the Browns suffered a disappointing road defeat against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. The last time these two teams clashed was in 2021, where the Chiefs claimed victory.
Can the Browns keep the score close this time around? Read on for the Chiefs vs. Browns prediction.
For reliable NFL Picks, look no further!
Kansas City Aims for Fourth Consecutive Victory
The Kansas City Chiefs are on a quest for their fourth consecutive win. After facing their only loss of the season against the Buffalo Bills, the Chiefs have bounced back with three straight victories. They narrowly defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 19-17 two weeks ago and followed that with another close win against the Chargers, also by a score of 19-17, in a game where they were 6.5-point favorites. However, they have not covered the spread in their last five games.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has shown flashes of brilliance, throwing for over 266 yards in four of his last five games, though he only managed 210 yards last week. Currently, he has a total of 3,189 passing yards along with a 20:11 touchdown-to-interception ratio. With Isaac Pacheco returning from injury, Kareem Hunt’s carries have decreased, although he has still gathered 605 rushing yards this season. Pacheco contributed 55 rushing yards last week and has accumulated 234 rushing yards over four games.
Star tight end Travis Kelce continues to be a key target, recording over 60 receiving yards in four of his last five outings, leading to a total of 682 receiving yards. Despite this, the Chiefs’ offense has struggled recently, scoring 21 or fewer points in four of their last five games and averaging 338 total yards per game.
Defensively, the Chiefs have been solid. They held the Raiders to a mere 17 points and limited the Chargers to 288 total yards last week. However, they did allow 27 points to the Panthers in a previous match. The Chiefs’ pass defense ranks 21st, while their rush defense stands strong at 3rd in the league.
Throughout the season, Kansas City has averaged 23.7 points per game, placing them 11th overall, while allowing 19.4 points, ranking them 8th.
Cleveland Seeks to Avoid Further Setbacks
The Cleveland Browns are determined to avoid recording their 11th loss of the season. Despite having a roster that appears solid, especially on defense, the Browns have faced significant struggles. They managed a win against the Steelers three weeks ago, but have since fallen to the Denver Broncos 42-31 and lost to the Steelers again, this time 27-14, as 6.5-point underdogs. They have only covered the spread once in their last five games.
Quarterback Jameis Winston has been fairly consistent, throwing for over 235 yards in four of his last six games. Last week, he recorded 212 passing yards, totaling 1,975 yards this season with a 13:9 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Running back Nick Chubb has struggled to find his rhythm, as he did not debut until mid-October and has failed to exceed 59 rushing yards in any game, totaling only 291 rushing yards.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has stood out, reaching 100 receiving yards in two of his last four games and accumulating 944 receiving yards for the season. Elijah Moore follows with 481 receiving yards. The Browns’ offense has been inconsistent but managed to score 24 or more points in two of their last three matches, averaging 313 total yards per game.
Defensively, the Browns have disappointed, allowing an average of 29.8 points over their last five games, including 41 points against the Broncos. They did manage to limit the Steelers to 267 total yards last week. The Browns rank 12th in pass defense but struggle significantly against the run, sitting at 22nd.
Cleveland is averaging 17.8 points per game, placing them 29th in the league, while they are allowing an average of 25.8 points, putting them 25th overall.
Best Bets for Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cleveland Browns
