The Kansas City Chiefs will travel to Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Sunday, December 21st to take on the Tennessee Titans in a Week 16 matchup that features two teams heading in vastly different directions. While the Chiefs have been eliminated from playoff contention and lost their franchise quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, to a season-ending torn ACL, they remain a more talented roster than the struggling Titans, who sit at just 2-12. Gardner Minshew will make his first start of the season under center for Kansas City, tasked with leading an offense that has sputtered down the stretch.
The Titans have been an absolute disaster this season, particularly at home where they are 0-7 and have given up points at will to opposing offenses. Tennessee's defense ranks among the worst in the NFL, allowing 5.8 yards per play and a concerning 0.460 points per play, which ranks near the bottom of the league. Meanwhile, the Chiefs offense, despite recent struggles and Mahomes' absence, still boasts weapons like Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and running back Kareem Hunt.
This game will ultimately come down to which team has more pride left to play for, and that advantage goes to the Chiefs. Despite missing their superstar quarterback, Kansas City's defense is significantly better than Tennessee's, and they have Andy Reid calling plays on the offensive side of the ball. The Titans have nothing to play for at this point in the season, while the Chiefs still have a chance to finish .500 and show they can compete without their franchise player.
Kareem Hunt Will Rack Up Over 100 All-Purpose Yards and Score Multiple Touchdowns
Kareem Hunt has been a bright spot for the Chiefs down the stretch, and he'll have a field day against the Titans' defense that has struggled mightily in coverage and at defending the run. Hunt is projected for 31 rushing yards, but that projection seems incredibly conservative given the matchup. The Titans have allowed over 110 rushing yards per game to opposing running backs, and Hunt has the explosiveness to create chunk plays on both carries and receptions.
Expect Hunt to approach or exceed 100 all-purpose yards while scoring at least one receiving touchdown and possibly a rushing touchdown as well. The Titans defense simply doesn't have the schematic discipline or talent level to contain a dynamic player like Hunt, especially when the offensive line is getting favorable matchups. Hunt's versatility as both a rusher and receiver will be on full display in Week 16.
Gardner Minshew Will Prove He's Capable of Managing the Offense
The narrative surrounding Gardner Minshew heading into this matchup has been overwhelmingly negative, as he threw an interception on his first drive in the Chiefs' playoff-elimination loss to the Chargers. However, the situation couldn't be more different this week: he'll face a Titans defense that has been exploited by nearly every offensive coordinator in the NFL this season. Minshew will have had a full week to prepare with the first-team offense and study game film against a Tennessee secondary that continues to make mistakes in coverage.
Expect Minshew to have a clean game managing the offense and leaning heavily on the running game with Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco. The Chiefs are projected to rush for around 70 yards against the Titans, but that number should be significantly higher as Andy Reid schemes ways to attack Tennessee's vulnerable run defense. The combination of solid game management, a dominant running attack, and a relentless pass rush from the Chiefs defense will result in a lopsided victory that sends a message to the rest of the league.
The Under 37.5 Will Hit Comfortably as Both Teams Struggle to Score Consistently
This matchup features two offenses that are among the least efficient in the NFL in recent weeks, and the weather conditions in Nashville could play a role in limiting scoring opportunities. The Chiefs have scored 20, 10, and 16 points in their last three games, while the Titans have been held to 16 or fewer points in six of their last seven games. The total of 37.5 points reflects a projection of around 19-20 points per team, which seems extremely optimistic given recent trends.
Both offenses have shown an inability to sustain drives consistently, and the defensive units will benefit from short fields created by turnovers. The under will hit comfortably with a final score around 16-13 in favor of the Chiefs.
