2019 Kansas City Chiefs Odds to win the Super Bowl with Expert Betting Predictions

Last year for the Chiefs was a revelation. They indicated that they had their quarterback of the future on hand, but we've heard that so many times before that we were understandably skeptical. But then they unleashed one of the great offensive seasons we have seen, led by a first-year starter who became MVP. It didn't quite end like they hoped, but what a season it was. But now everything is different. They are hunted, with a huge target on their backs. It's a very different thing being up top than it is sneaking up on teams, and not all squads can handle that shift well. Can the Chiefs pull it off?

Kansas City Chiefs Coaching

Bob Sutton had been the defensive coordinator of the Chiefs since 2013, but last year the squad was 31st in yards allowed and put too much pressure on the offense. Sutton was fired two days after the loss to the Patriots and replaced by Steve Spagnuolo, who was out of football last year after three years running the defense for the Giants. He's an upgrade - in that he can't be much worse. Spagnuolo didn't entirely clean house with the defensive staff, but he did make significant changes. Despite the huge success last year offensively, Andy Reid was able to keep his offensive staff intact.

Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Situation

They have the most exciting young quarterback we have seen in years on board, so it's not tough to say that they are in pretty good shape. Chad Henne is still around as a veteran backup, and Kyle Shurmur, the undrafted free agent QB from Vanderbilt, who is the son of the Giants' head coach, was signed to add some competition.

How The Kansas City Chiefs Improved

The defense was a total mess last year, and the change of coordinator would not be enough to pull off a turnaround. And they certainly did make changes - as many as seven defensive starters could be new faces. The big splash was DE Frank Clark, who they sent three picks to the Seahawks for in exchange for the player and a pick, and then signed him to a massive five-year deal. They also signed Tyrann Mathieu to a three-year deal. Those two veteran additions are real positives. Their top draft pick, in the second round, was receiver Mecole Hardman from Georgia, who will have an impact. The rest of the draft was heavy on defensive players, though, and safety Juan Thornhill and DT Khalen Saunders will both have a big chance at playing.

How The Kansas City Chiefs Got Worse

Running back Kareem Hunt is gone after his off-field issues last year, and the team has not adequately replaced him - at least not obviously. It's easier to not have a great running back when your passing game will be outstanding, but this is still an area of concern. His impact in 11 games last year as both a running back and a pass catcher were significant.

Kansas City Chiefs Schedule Analysis

The Chiefs got a bit of a gift from the schedule makers early on - sure, three of their first four games are on the road, but they are at Jacksonville, Oakland and Detroit, so things could certainly be worse. Their bye week comes late - Week 12 - and is followed by some tough games. Down the stretch they play at New England and the Bears, and they close out at home against the Chargers. They'll have to be on top of their game by then.

2019-20 Kansas City Chiefs Betting Odds and Trends

The Chiefs are the second choice to win the Super Bowl at +900, trailing only the defending champion Patriots at +700. Not surprisingly, they are also the second choice to win the AFC at +350. They are the strong favorites to win the AFC West at -155, with the Chargers the second choice at +175. The season win total is set at 10.5, with the "over" set at -135. The Chiefs are at -400 to make the playoffs, compared to +320 to miss it. They are the fourth choice to have the best record in the league at +900, compared to +8000 to have the worst record. Mahomes is the favorite to win his second straight MVP award at +600, ahead of Andrew Luck and Carson Wentz at +900. He's the second choice to have the top passer rating at +300 behind Drew Brees, the favorite for most touchdowns at +300, and second for most passing yards at +550 behind Matt Ryan. At +1400 to lead the league in interceptions, he is tied with three guys, and behind eight others. Receiver Mecole Hardman, the first player picked by the team in the Draft, in the second round, is the sixth choice to be offensive rookie of the year at +1800. Safety Juan Thornhill is a longer shot to win the defensive rookie honors at +2800. Likely lead running back Damien Williams is at +4000 to league the league in rushing yards and at +2500 to be tops in touchdowns. Carlos Hyde is at +10000 in both categories. Tyreek Hill is at +600 to lead the league in receptions, which has him tied with DeAndre Hopkins and Julio Jones, and behind only Michael Thomas at +450. He's at +1200 to lead in yards and +800 to lead in touchdowns. He's tied in the touchdown category with teammate Travis Kelce, who is also at +1400 in receptions. Frank Clark is at +1800 to lead the league in sacks, with Chris Jones right behind at +2000.

2019-20 Kansas City Chiefs Predictions and NFL Picks

The defense should be improved, and we should see some version of the same offense as last year. I expect a bit more adversity than last year, and don't think that they will be quite as successful as a result, but they are still the class of their division and a serious contender. Not making the AFC Championship would be a disappointment for them.

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