Who is ready for a surplus of points? The Kansas City Chiefs will make a Week 1 visit to the desert in Phoenix to square off with the Arizona Cardinals. It is about that time to check out our NFL odds series, where our Chiefs-Cardinals prediction and pick will be made.
Fresh off of four straight AFC Championship appearances, the Chiefs were left with a bad taste in their mouth after Joe Burrow and the Bengals rallied to down KC at Arrowhead Stadium. Now with the departure of names like Tyreek Hill and Tyrann Mathieu, Kansas City is eager to prove that they won't miss a beat this fall.
Storming out of the gates a year ago, it seemed almost destined that the Arizona Cardinals would be Super Bowl bound after reeling off their first seven contests for victories. However, it wasn't until shortly after that the wheels began to fall off. While the Cardinals still managed to limp into a Wild Card berth, the writing was already on the wall as they came up short against the eventual Super Bowl champs. After two years of finishing poorly, can the Cardinals reverse their fortunes by winning some games down the stretch?
Here are the Chiefs-Cardinals NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Chiefs-Cardinals Odds
Kansas City Chiefs: -5.5 (-115)
Arizona Cardinals: +5.5 (-105)
Over: 53.5 (-112)
Under: 53.5 (-108)
Why The Chiefs Could Cover The Spread
Representing the cream of the crop in the AFC for the past several seasons, Kansas City enters the 2022 season with some interesting expectations. While fans of the team expect the Chiefs to be primed and ready for another Super Bowl run, the national media has voiced that they aren't sure where Kansas City stands in comparison to the rest of a stacked AFC Conference.
Not only that, but even teams in their own division will certainly make an effort for an AFC West throne that KC has been so used to grasping. With that being said, the Chiefs will certainly have a chip on their shoulders to prove to the rest of the world that they are still contenders.
When it comes to this inter-conference matchup on Sunday against the Cardinals, the biggest question mark from this roster will be whether or not the Chiefs have the personnel to slow down a ferocious Arizona offensive attack. Last season, Kansas City's defense started off slow but came on strong by the conclusion of the regular season. While they weren't an elite unit in 2021, losing multiple starters raises concerns if they can slow down Arizona's high-octane ways offense. Obviously, the losses of Mathieu and others will only hurt, and it will be vital for the Chiefs to figure out a way to contain the jitterbug that is Kyler Murray at the quarterback position.
The good news? Even despite losing the speed demon himself in Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes and company shouldn't be expected to miss a beat. Also, the Chiefs have not lost a season opener in more than five years.
Why The Cardinals Could Cover The Spread
Believe it or not, this is a make-or-break year for head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Time and time again, even dating back to his college coaching days at Texas Tech, Kingsbury has gotten off to strong starts only to falter late in the year. After stumbling down the stretch in 2020, the Cardinals tripped over themselves yet again by going 4-6 down the stretch. Fast forward to this season, and Arizona is doing everything in their power to avoid such a letdown yet again.
Without a doubt, the talent is certainly there to compete, as the Cardinals even added Kyler Murray's old Sooner teammate in Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to cope with Deandre Hopkins' lengthy suspension. Above all else in this expected offensive shootout, the Cardinals will have weapons at their disposal to try and outscore the Chiefs. Whether it's Zach Ertz at the tight end position, the savvy veteran wideout AJ. Green on the outside, or do-it-all back James Conner in the backfield, Arizona shouldn't struggle moving the ball against the KC defense.
Like Kansas City, Arizona enters the 2022 season thin at the cornerback position, which might prove to be costly against Patrick Mahomes. Along with being short-handed in the secondary, the Cardinals also took a hit when Pro Bowl pass rusher Chandler Jones packed his bags to Las Vegas during the offseason. Because of this, the Arizona defense will have to rely on guys like DE J.J. Watt, even though the three-time NFL DPOY status on Sunday is considered questionable with a calf injury. If Arizona can avoid letting up the big play by keeping the Chiefs receivers in front of them, then they may be able to keep Kansas City's offense in check.
Final Chiefs-Cardinals Prediction & Pick
At first glance, whoever has the ball last in this one might come out on top. With less speed than they had a year ago and the Cardinals playing this matchup within the confines of State Farm Stadium, expect QB Kyler Murray to lead a game-winning drive in crunch time.
Final Chiefs-Cardinals Prediction & Pick: Cardinals +5.5 (-105)
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