This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Cincinnati Bengals 
at Kansas City Chiefs 
Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions for NFL Week 17
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The Bengals fell short of a fourth straight victory in Week 16 with a 34-11 loss to the Steelers on Saturday afternoon, but they still hold an 8-7 record and are in the thick of a wild AFC Wild Card race.
The defending-champion Chiefs are still looking to punch their postseason ticket as well, but they've made life difficult on themselves by losing three of their last four contests to fall to 9-6. Kansas City will be aiming to bounce back from a relatively shocking Christmas Day loss to the Raiders, when they take on Cincinnati in this rematch from January's AFC Championship Game.
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Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs Betting Odds for NFL Week 17
*Best lines at time of writing listed
Moneyline: Chiefs -295 (FanDuel Sportsbook) / Bengals +250 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Point spread: Chiefs -6.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook) / Bengals +6.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Totals: Over 43.5 points (FanDuel Sportsbook) / Under 44 points (DraftKings Sportsbook)
The Chiefs' projected advantage in this game has actually grown over time, even though Kansas City's 2023 body of work has been notably underwhelming relative to preseason expectations. The Chiefs were originally only three-point favorites when the line was first released in the summer, but they were up to as much as 7.5 points prior to Week 16 action. That number has been bet slightly down this week, but KC is still a solid favorite for a struggling team with a two-day rest disadvantage.
The projected total has been on a downward swing, with the number checking in at 45.5 before Week 16, but then plummeting to 44 earlier in the week. It's remained decidedly modest since that point, dipping to as much as 43.5 as of Friday night.
Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs Betting Picks This Week
The Bengals' Jake Browning continued to put up impressive numbers in defeat in Week 16, but Cincinnati's defense often looked lost against Mason Rudolph, who hadn't seen regular-season action since 2021. That's naturally worrisome with a matchup against Patrick Mahomes on tap, irrespective of how underwhelming Kansas City's normally prolific air attack has been of late.
Cincy will also have some offensive concerns if Ja'Marr Chase, who is listed as questionable with the shoulder injury that cost him Week 16, can't suit up. However, given the confident/brash tone the star wideout sounded this week, which included a dig at the quality of the Chiefs' secondary, it would seem he's more likely than not to suit up.
On the other side, the Chiefs may have to go into battle without top running back Isiah Pacheco due to his shoulder and concussion issues, which would leave them potentially unable to take full advantage of Cincinnati's porous run defense. Mahomes will also be looking to revert to form while facing a Bengals defense allowing 256.1 passing yards per game.
The Chiefs are only 3-4 against the spread at home this season, and while the Bengals have the same mark against the number on the road, Cincy will be playing for its postseason life in this game and should therefore be going full throttle.
KC has suffered an almost inconceivable four home losses this season so I don't see another slip-up on its part, but I do like the idea of backing the Bengals to keep any loss to less than a touchdown.
Bengals at Steelers Best Bets: Bengals +7 (-125 on Fliff Sportsbook)
Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs Prediction
Chiefs 23, Bengals 21
The Chiefs have no shortage of motivation in this scenario, ranging from the need to right their ship to the Bengals' past success against them. KC has the big advantage at quarterback, and despite the underwhelming performance of its offense recently, I see Mahomes and Co. having enough to squeeze out a close victory with the help of a solid defensive effort.
