Could this week’s Monday Night Football tilt be a preview of the AFC championship game? Oddsmakers certainly think so, as the Kansas City Chiefs (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) tangle with the Baltimore Ravens (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS) at U.S. Bank Stadium. The high-powered Chiefs are listed as +275 favorites to win the AFC in 2020, while the Ravens are a very close second at +285.
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Ravens kicked things off as 2-point favorites, but the line has since shifted to -3 or even -3.5 in some spots. The total opened at 52.5 but has climbed by a point.
Kansas City News & Notes
After cruising to a Week 1 win over Houston, the Chiefs faced their first bit of adversity in Week 2 as they trailed 17-6 against the Los Angeles Chargers late in the third quarter. But Patrick Mahomes did what he does best, leading the Chiefs offense on a pair of game-tying drives before kicker Harrison Butker – who tied things at the end of regulation – booted the game-winning field goal in OT.
You can’t help but think that Mahomes has yet to hit his stride, having thrown for only 513 yards (but with five touchdowns). But he’ll face what could be one of his toughest tests of 2020 against a Ravens pass defense that has limited opposing quarterbacks to just 210.5 yards per game through the air. This might be the week to take the UNDER on Mahomes’ passing yards prop.
Baltimore News & Notes
Few teams can boast the kind of quarterback star power the Chiefs have – but the Ravens are definitely on that list.
Reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson is off to another strong start, throwing for 479 yards and four touchdowns while adding 99 yards on the ground. And he has had plenty of help in the run game, with Baltimore averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
Betting Pick: Baltimore -3.5 (-110)
While both teams are off to good starts, the Ravens have the superior defense and have more than enough offense to make life difficult for the visiting Chiefs on Monday night.