Chiefs vs. Bengals 2021 NFL Week 17 Odds, Analysis & Prediction

By Carlos Chacon • December 28, 2021

Both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals are in high spirits after their respective victories from Week 16. The two are also division leaders as we speak, making Sunday’s clash in Cincy ever-so crucial as one slip-up in the second-to-the-last game of the season by either side could result in worse playoff seeding or a division title altogether.

NitroBetting is ready to equip its bettors with all the latest previews and odds for Week 17 of the 2021 NFL season. This time, we look at the big-time AFC showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals. Find out more about the teams and the key players, event information, the latest NFL odds, and of course, helpful betting trends and expert betting predictions.

Chiefs vs. Bengals Game Information

Job's not finished. pic.twitter.com/DxkSwKX6TM
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 27, 2021

When: Sunday, January 2, 2021, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
TV: CBS
Radio: 106.5 The Wolf (Chiefs) / 700WLW AM (Bengals)
Live Stream: CBS Sports
NFL Odds: Chiefs (-5.5) / Bengals (+5.5)

Why Bet on the Kansas City Chiefs?

Like the Incredible Hulk, the Kansas City Chiefs have been angered rather late in the 2021 season and are now on an eight-game rampage. Their 36-10 win in Pittsburgh over the Steelers this past week now puts them at 10-4 and in sole possession of the top seed in the AFC playoff picture.

Patrick Mahomes played arguably his best game of the season thus far against a pretty tough Steelers defense. The former regular season and Super Bowl MVP threw just seven incompletions on 30 pass attempts and finished with 258 yards and three passing TDs. What’s more impressive about Mahomes’ performance is that he didn’t have the league’s best tight end in Travis Kelce (COVID protocol) on the field, as well as limited action from streaky wideout Tyreek Hill.

After giving up 28 points versus the Chargers last week, Kansas City’s defense buckled down once again by holding Pittsburgh to just 10 points. Over the Chiefs’ last seven wins, they’ve limited five of their opponents to 10 points or less apiece. Simply put, KC is in peak form and will be hard to stop for the remainder of the campaign.

Why Bet on the Cincinnati Bengals?

Not to be outdone by Mahomes and the Chiefs, the Cincinnati Bengals are also hot off their biggest win in recent memory. The Bengals blasted division rivals the Baltimore Ravens to the tune of a 41-21 shellacking to reclaim the summit of the AFC North with a full one-game lead with just two weeks to play.

Second-year QB Joe Burrow had his defining NFL moment that game, setting a new franchise record with a whopping 525 passing yards. Burrow’s 37-of-46 afternoon against a stout Baltimore D was capped off with four passing TDs as well, with lead back Joe Mixon also pitching in well on the ground with 65 rushing yards and another score.

As if the similarities with the Chiefs weren’t apparent enough, the Bengals’ defense has also been at the top of its game save for a couple of rough outings. In the four victories over the past six weeks, Cincy’s D has held its opponents to just an average of 13.5 points per game. However, the team’s stop unit will be put to the ultimate test when it takes on the mighty Kansas City offensive assault.

Chiefs vs. Bengals Betting Trends

The Chiefs are 4-2 on the road this season (SU/ATS).
The Chiefs are 9-1 against teams from the AFC North dating back to the 2018 season (6-4 ATS).
The totals went over in four of the Chiefs’ last six games in general.
The Bengals are 4-4 at home this season (3-5 ATS).
The Bengals are 6-4 in the last 10 games wherein they were underdogs (SU/ATS).
The totals went under in five of Cincinnati’s last six games as dogs in the contest.

Chiefs vs. Bengals Expert Betting Predictions

The current spread being less than seven points speaks highly of the Bengals’ chances of covering or even upsetting another elite AFC team. On the other hand, the Chiefs are playing out of their minds having the longest win streak by any team this season to make moneyline wagers for a ninth-straight KC victory very appealing as well regardless of diminishing returns.

Check out our latest sports betting guides for the 2021 NFL Regular Season. Stay tuned for more Football previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest Football betting odds at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.