As of now, only one team is assured of a playoff spot in the American Football Conference.
The winner of the Chiefs vs. Raiders Week 16 match will not advance to the next level yet but losing the game will have huge implications on their campaign.
What's at stake here is the AFC West title. The Kansas City Chiefs, with a 9-5 record, can get their fifth straight division win if they beat their hosts Las Vegas Raiders this weekend.
The Raiders (6-8), meanwhile, can only afford a Wild Card spot with at least three weeks to go.
Match will kick off on Christmas Day at 8:20 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium. Fans can catch the game at CBS and Paramount Plus.
Chiefs vs. Raiders Week 16 Odds, Spread, Betting Lines
The Raiders are just coming off a massive and dominant victory against the Los Angeles Chargers but the Chiefs are a whole different story. This is why the latter are huge favorites in their Christmas Day match-up.
Spread: Kansas City Chiefs -7.5, Las Vegas Raiders +7.5
Moneyline: Kansas City -355, Las Vegas +295
Over/Under: 56 points
Chiefs vs. Raiders Week 16 Preview
Defending champions Kansas City Chiefs got their form back last week in the 27-17 win against the New England Patriots.
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"[This] was an important game that we needed to win," said quarterback Patrick Mahomes. "I was glad with how the guys responded, and we were able to find a way to win against a really good team."
The Chiefs are Top 5 in the league in passing TDs and passing yards and are ranked second in total offense (409.0 yards per game) and scoring offense (31.8 points per game). That is what the Raiders should be worried about.
Mahomes will continue to be the main architect of their offense. He has been struggling lately but showed glimpses of his top form against the Patriots when he made two interceptions. The two-time Super Bowl MVP threw 305 yards and two touchdowns last week.
Currently, he leads the league in completions with 353, fourth in passing yards with 3,703, and fifth in passing touchdowns with 25.
The Raiders will also have their hands full against Chiefs' defense which is ranked third-best in the NFL with 17.5 points allowed per game. Fifteen Chiefs players have made at least one sack this season.
Coach Antonio Pierce's squad, of course, will not go down without fighting. Their offense was on point against the Chargers as if did all the right things.
Rookie QB Aidan O'Connell was sensational against the Chargers. He took over the main job in Week 9 and last week was his best performance so far recording 20-of-34 passing for 248 yards.
Coach Antonio Pierce commended the young QB for his resilience after a bad performance in the ugly 3-0 win against the Minnesota Vikings the week before.
Chiefs vs. Raiders Week 16 Pick
You can gift yourself on Christmas Day by betting on a Chiefs victory. The spread should not be an issue as they have won each of their two games when projected in previews as at least 10-point favorites.
Final score: 35-23
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