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Bengals vs. Chiefs Prediction, Pick & Odds Week 17: In Mahomes we Trust

Philip Wood

Last Updated: December 31, 2023 2:54 PM EST • 2 min 54 sec read.

The Cincinnati Bengals visit the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17 NFL action, and we make our best Bengals vs. Chiefs predictions based on the best NFL odds at the best sports betting apps.

The Pittsburgh Steelers trampled the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16, as the Bengals' three-game winning run came to a crashing halt. After scoring 27-plus points in three straight contests, the Bengals could only muster 11 in Week 16.

Having lost three of their last four games, the Kansas City Chiefs have not yet clinched the AFC West or a playoff spot with two weeks remaining. A victory on Sunday would secure their place in the postseason.

In addition to our NFL Week 17 predictions and our Bengals vs. Chiefs player props, here are our best Bengals vs. Chiefs prediction and our NFL picks (odds via our best NFL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Bengals vs. Chiefs prediction

Chiefs -6.5 (-112 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Chiefs have struggled offensively for most of the season, but those struggles have really come to light in the last four weeks. They’ve scored fewer than 20 points in three of their last four games, and they turned the ball over twice last week in their 14-point performance against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Yet, the Chiefs are going to lock up a playoff berth with a convincing victory this week. The Bengals have the fifth-worst pass defense in the NFL, and they were decimated by Steelers third-string quarterback Mason Rudolph last Thursday night. They’re allowing 256.1 passing yards per game, and they provide Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense with the exact matchup they need to get right.

On the other side, Bengals signal-caller Jake Browning will struggle for the second week in a row as he faces the Chiefs and their second-ranked pass defense. Browning threw for 335 yards last week, but he also threw three interceptions, bringing his season total to six.

The Chiefs certainly aren’t as good as they have been in recent seasons, but to be favored by less than a touchdown over a backup quarterback and a bad secondary is a bit of an overreaction. The Chiefs win easily at home and end the Bengals’ season.

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Bengals vs. Chiefs best odds

DraftKings (-112)

DraftKingsFanDuelBetMGMCaesarsbet365
-6.5-7-7-7-7
-112-110-105-110-110

DraftKings is the lone best sports betting sites offering a spread below seven points, so they’re the obvious place to wager even though they’re offering the worst available price. The price of -112 isn’t much worse than the -110 being offered by three of the four best sportsbooks. -105 at BetMGM is tempting, but we’d take this at 6.5, so the Chiefs can win by a touchdown and still cover.

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Bengals vs. Chiefs odds

Bengals vs. Chiefs odds analysis

The Chiefs are favored by seven points at four of the five best sports betting apps. Only DraftKings is offering a spread below the key number of seven. 55% of bettors are backing the Bengals to cover the spread in this game. This indicates that while there will be very little movement before kickoff, the movement there will favor the Bengals.

The total opened at 43.5 and has gone up to 44 or 44.5 at four of the five best sports betting sites. At the moment, only FanDuel still has the total at 43.5, but the price for the Over is -115, indicating that the number will also rise there before long. If you’re on the Under, you can wait until closer to kickoff to get in.

Bengals vs. Chiefs game info

  • When: Sunday, December 31 at 4:25 p.m. ET
  • Where: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
  • How to watch: CBS
  • Weather: 35 degrees, 9-mph wind, 1% chance of precipitation

Bengals vs. Chiefs prediction made Friday at 10:57 a.m. ET

Check out our best NFL betting sites:

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Written By:
Philip Wood
Phil has covered sports betting since 2016, and he has been with SportsBook Review since 2022. He previously hosted the College Football Pick 'Em podcast for CanesInsight.com. He is always looking for value, especially on lines that just seem too good to be true. His belief is that if a line doesn't make sense just assume oddsmakers know something you don't. He also loves in-season futures. There is so much value to be had as the public overreacts weekly. Bettors tend to forget just how long NFL and college football seasons are. After all, the Green Bay Packers were 2-5 in 2023 and they made it to the Divisional Round. When deciding where to bet, it comes down to value over everything. +100 is always better than -110. An alumnus of The U, Phil always holds out hope that the next head coach will be the one who turns the football program around. He is also a diehard Detroit Lions fan and is willing to forgive Dan Campbell for forgetting that a kicker can be useful.