Pittsburgh Steelers vs Kansas City Chiefs
When: 1:05 PM ET, Sunday, January 15, 2017
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, NBC.
LINE: Chiefs -1.5.
O/U: 44
PREDICTION: Steelers 23, Chiefs 20

Oddsmakers currently have the KANSAS CITY listed as -1.5 point favorites versus the PITTSBURGH, while the game’s total is sitting at 44.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The old saying goes that revenge is a dish best served cold. Last Sunday, in the wild-card round of the AFC playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers avenged a regular-season loss to the Miami Dolphins, and did it in quite frigid temperatures at Heinz Field, winning by 18 points.

This Sunday (1:05 p.m. ET, NBC), the revenge table is turned on the Steelers, as they travel to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to play the Chiefs in an AFC divisional round game. Early weather forecasts are calling for rain and cold temperatures. Oddsmakers have listed the home team as a one-point favorite.

In the first days of October, the Chiefs traveled to Pittsburgh and got hammered by the Steelers, losing 43-14 in a Sunday night game. The 29-point deficit was one of the season’s biggest blowout defeats suffered by a team that eventually made the playoffs. That loss left the Chiefs 2-2 on the season, but afterward it won 10 of the next 12 games and captured an AFC West division title.

But that game was a complete meltdown for the Chiefs and they are determined to back up their AFC No. 2 seeding by paying back the visiting Steelers.

“There are important matters in front of us now,” said K.C. quarterback Alex Smith. “There are a lot of emotions this time of year. Everybody’s put in a lot of work and sacrifice to have these kinds of opportunities.”

After getting their revenge against the Dolphins, the Steelers know what they will face in Kansas City.

“We have to understand that the same passion and dedication that we put in to beat Miami, that’s how Kansas City is going to try to beat us,” said Pittsburgh running back Le’Veon Bell. “We have to put that much more time into our detail. We have to do all the little things right because they’re going to try to take the things away that we did well last game and make us beat them a different way.”

Bell ran for 167 yards and two touchdowns last week against Miami. It was a record-setting rushing performance in Pittsburgh postseason history. Back in October, Bell put up 144 yards on 18 carries against Kansas City.

“He has a unique style about him — that delay to get to the line of scrimmage,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said of Bell. “It’s been effective for him. He’s really the only one that does it, so it’s unique. The obvious thing is you have to contain him and take care of your gaps.”

Pittsburgh is riding an eight-game winning streak and an AFC North title with more than just Bell. Wide receiver Antonio Brown was among the league leaders in catches (106), receiving yards (1,284) and touchdown receptions (12) for the fourth consecutive year. Brown had the first two touchdowns against Miami, connecting with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on scoring plays of 50 and 62 yards. When these teams met earlier, the Steelers’ quarterback threw five touchdown passes to four different receivers.

The Chiefs can test the Pittsburgh defense with big plays from wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce. Over Kansas City’s last six games, Hill and Kelce scored seven total touchdowns and contributed 45 percent of the offensive yards (470 of 2,150.)

“He is as dynamic as any tight end in football right now,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said of Kelce. “He is a matchup issue — too athletic for linebackers, too big and strong often times for secondary people. Hill’s contributions have evolved since we played them. Now, he is very much a part of their routine offensive attack. He is an impactful guy and his speed and bursts are unique.”

The quarterback matchup is actually pretty even. In the regular season, Roethlisberger had 29 touchdown passes compared to Smith’s 15, but the Chiefs’ quarterback threw eight interceptions compared to 13 for the Steelers’ passer. Big Ben has a big edge in postseason experience, playing in his 19th game. Smith will make his sixth start, but he has an interception percentage of 0.5 percent in the postseason, the top mark in league history for passers that attempted at least 150 passes.

Roethlisberger was expected to play with no limitations despite aggravating an old foot injury in the victory over Miami.

“You have to play good football and do what got you here,” said Reid, with an 11-11 record in the postseason. “There is not a lot of room for error. That’s just not what this time of the year is about. You have to have good line play on both sides of the ball. That’s what you get this time of the year.”

There’s no time for revenge either said Tomlin.

“We don’t care about the nameless gray faces we’re playing right now,” said Tomlin, who has a 7-5 mark in the playoffs. “This is man versus himself. We’re trying to do what’s required to win. We’re not trying to settle vendettas and things of that nature. What happened during the regular season is of little importance. What is important is that you do enough to get out of these stadiums and advance.”

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Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 18, 2016
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Chiefs -5.5.
O/U: 42.
PREDICTION: Chiefs 23, Titans 20

Oddsmakers currently have the Chiefs listed as 5½-point favorites versus the Titans, while the game’s total is sitting at 41½.

Just one victory away from clinching a spot in the AFC playoffs, the Kansas City Chiefs host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Early weather predictions call for temperatures in the low teens with the wind-chill factor falling into single digits. That’s cold conditions for even Kansas City in December.

The 10-3 Chiefs moved into the control seat of the AFC West with their victory last week over Oakland in similar conditions. Andy Reid’s team can assure itself of at least a spot in the six-team postseason field with one more victory in the remaining three games.

“Every game is important as you go down the stretch,” Reid said. “Nothing has been declared yet, so you’ve got to keep the pedal to the metal.”

The 7-6 Titans will arrive in Kansas City with their postseason chances still alive. They share first place in the AFC South with the Houston Texans. Tennessee is coming off a 13-10 victory over Denver on Sunday in Nashville.

The man that leads the offense says the Titans will have quite a task dealing with the Chiefs’ defense at Arrowhead and in the cold.

“I think they have a great defense,” quarterback Marcus Mariota said. “They have a bunch of playmakers across the board. They find ways to get turnovers and when they do, they’re really good at turning it into points. Up front they do a great job of doing different things, causing some identification problems and just doing things that in terms of communication for an offense. You have to make sure everyone’s on the same page and doing the same thing.”

Mariota comes off his least productive performance of the 2016 season from last Sunday against Denver. He threw for only 88 yards, completing just six of 20 passes, a completion percentage of 30 percent and an average of 4.4 yards per attempt.

That doesn’t jive with his play in November, when he was named the AFC’s Offensive Player of the Month with 11 scoring throws, two interceptions, a completion percentage of 66 percent and an average of 8.7 yards per attempt.

Reid has been very impressed by Mariota’s overall performance this year.

“His ability to throw the football and read the defenses have come a long ways,” Reid said. “Things have slowed down for him. The addition of the run game has also helped their football team. You can see that he’s more comfortable now then he was when he first came in. He’s healthy now too, which helps.”

Kansas City is coming off a mini-bye after winning last Thursday night. That 21-13 victory over the Raiders was the third for the Chiefs in 12 days, with two of those on the road – including a 75-minute overtime decision against Denver. That was three victories by a total of 12 points.

“It was a gritty, gritty performance,” Reid said. “That’s a tough thing to do with that many games in that short period of time and to play at a high level against really good football teams. I think credit is due there.”

But in the NFL, that’s considered old news and promises nothing for the coming Sunday.

“The games just get bigger every week when you are in this situation,” Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith said. “It’s so close right now, you can’t start counting the games and doing the math. You can’t let yourself go there. We have a team coming in that’s really playing good and we have to take care of our business.”

For another victory, the Chiefs’ defense must handle a strong Titans’ running game that put up 180 yards against the highly ranked Denver defense. Tennessee is also the NFL’s top offense in the red zone, scoring touchdowns on 71.4 percent of its 42 trips inside the 20-yard line. The Titans are the fourth-best third-down offense, converting 46 percent of their chances.

In the season’s first 13 games, Mike Mularkey’s team has been in the mix for victory every week. Tennessee has not lost by double digits, and it has won four games that were decided by six points or less. The Titans also are 3-3 on the road.

“Every one of these games, we’ve had a chance to win,” Mularkey said. “They’ve all been close. We’ve won some of them. We’ve lost some of the close ones. I think the experience has been great for (the players.) Our guys believe we’re going to win the game, no matter what the situation is.”

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Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs
When: 8:25 PM ET, Thursday, December 8, 2016
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NBC, NFL Network.
LINE: Chiefs -3.
O/U: 46.5
PREDICTION: Chiefs 23, Raiders 20

Oddsmakers currently have the Chiefs listed as 3-point favorites versus the Raiders, while the game’s total is sitting at 46½.

Derek Carr’s spirited play during the Oakland Raiders’ six-game winning streak has placed the third-year quarterback in the lively discussion for NFL MVP honors. Carr has thrown seven touchdown passes over his last three games and 12 during the winning streak as the first-place Raiders head into an AFC West showdown with the host Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

Carr rallied Oakland from a 15-point halftime deficit in Sunday’s 38-24 victory over Buffalo, all while working exclusively out of the shotgun/pistol to protect his injured right pinkie finger. “It brought me back to my Fresno (State) days a little bit, so that was nice with the tempo and those kind of things,” said the 25-year-old Carr, who will look to avenge a far less effective performance in Week 6 when he threw for 225 yards in a 26-10 loss to Kansas City. The Chiefs kept Carr in park with a successful ground game, highlighted by Spencer Ware rolling up a career-high 131 yards and a touchdown. The 25-year-old Ware, who will look to light up the 29th-ranked Raiders’ run defense that is yielding 124.8 yards per contest, also found the end zone in Sunday’s 29-28 victory at Atlanta.

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (10-2): While Carr is being mentioned in NFL MVP discussion, defensive end Khalil Mack is hearing his name bandied about for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. Mack has registered at least one of his team-leading 10 sacks in each of the last seven games, while also recording four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception in that span. Latavius Murray, who has three touchdowns in his last four encounters with Kansas City, scored twice last week to increase his rushing touchdown total to 11 – good enough for a tie for third in the league. Second-year wideout Amari Cooper collected 10 receptions for 129 yards in the first meeting with the Chiefs, but was limited to just two catches on Sunday versus the Bills.

Oakland Stats:
Team record: 10-2 SU,8-4 ATS
Current Streak: won 6 straight games.
Oakland is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Oakland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oakland’s last 5 games

ABOUT THE CHIEFS (9-3): Alex Smith, who has thrown 18 touchdowns against three interceptions in his last nine starts versus the Raiders, is expected to see the return of trusted target Jeremy Maclin on Thursday. Maclin was a full participant in practice on Tuesday and is in line to end a four-game absence due to a groin injury. Tight end Travis Kelce recorded his third straight 100-plus-yard performance after reeling in eight receptions for 140 yards versus the Falcons, but was limited to three catches for 32 yards in the Week 6 win over Oakland.

Kansas City:
Team record: 9-3 SU,6-6 ATS
Kansas City is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Kansas City is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kansas City’s last 8 games

EXTRA POINTS

1. Oakland can end its 13-year playoff drought with a win on Thursday and either a loss or tie by Miami or a loss by Denver.
2. Chiefs LB Dee Ford registered two of his team-leading 10 sacks in the last meeting with the Raiders.
3. Kansas City’s plus-14 turnover differential is tops in the NFL while Oakland (plus-12) is ranked third.

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Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos
When: 11/27/2016 8:30 PM
Where: Sports Authority Field, Denver, Colorado

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC.
LINE: Broncos -3.5. O/U: 39.5
PREDICTION: Broncos 26, Chiefs 20

Oddsmakers currently have the Broncos listed as 3½-point favorites versus the Chiefs, while the game’s total is sitting at 39.

Ahead of Sunday’s pivotal matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Denver Broncos were treated to a vivid image of their championship past and a fresh reminder of what’s at stake as they embark on the closing stretch of the season.

On display in the team’s locker room this week, for all the players to see, where the three Lombardi trophies the Broncos have won, including the one from last season, when they defeated the Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl.

“It’s great to see what you’re working towards,” said Broncos safety T.J. Ward, a member of last season’s title team. “It’s great to see it in front of you rather than a picture. It’s here in the flesh for guys who didn’t get a chance to hold it last year. It’s just a reminder. I hope it motivates other players. It’s just a good thing to have in the locker room.”

Coach Gary Kubiak thought so to, especially with the Broncos gearing up to face the Chiefs, with whom they are tied for second in the AFC West at 7-3, a game behind the division leading Oakland Raiders.

“It’s a new year and a new battle,” Kubiak said. “I think this team is really excited: the coaches, the organization, everybody. We’re there with six weeks to play. We have a lot of big football games to play in. That’s why we do what we do. We’re all excited. You can feel it around here.”

So can the Chiefs, who are in the thick of the chase for a playoff berth as well. The game between the division rivals, originally scheduled in the afternoon, was flexed to a prime-time matchup.

“I don’t think you could make it any bigger or more intense than it already is,” Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith told reporters. “The way the division has gone to this point, it’s already pretty tight.

“This is our first ‘crack’ at these guys and they’re the defending Super Bowl champions. We’ve been in a lot of battles with these guys over the years and the fact that it got moved to the Sunday Night game, it’ll be under the lights and we understand that. It’ll be fun. I don’t think it could be any more intense than it already is.”

As it did last season, Denver has leaned on its staunch defense to get the best of opposing teams. But the offense has shown progress in its bid to achieve greater balance in the run and pass games under the direction of quarterback Trevor Siemian, whose seven wins are the second most by a Broncos quarterback in his first nine career starts in team history.

“He hasn’t had that much consistency,” Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson said. “He’s not very tall in the pocket, but somehow he is still making all the throws he needs to make. So hats off to that. You’d think a shorter guy like him — he’s not crazy short, but I think he should have some problems seeing back there, and he’s pretty comfortable back there. Hopefully, we can make him uncomfortable. That’s our plan.”

The Broncos, coming off a bye, have had a chance to heal up going into their first meeting of the season with the Chiefs, who were upset last week by Tampa Bay.

Fullback Andy Janovich had the cast protecting a broken hand removed during the bye week, which should help restore him as a receiving threat as well as aid in his lead blocking for the running game and blitz protection on passing downs.

Defensive end Derek Wolfe returned to practice this week after missing the Broncos’ win at New Orleans two weeks ago with an elbow injury, and cornerback Aqib Talib, sidelined since Oct. 24 with a lower back problem, also resumed practicing and could be ready to face the Chiefs.

The Chiefs have their share of injuries to contend with, though Johnson is expected to play despite dealing with some soreness in his Achilles tendon.

The availability of wide receiver Jeremy Macin (groin), linebacker Dee Ford (hamstring), defensive tackle Dontari Pope (back), and running Charcandrick West (concussion) remains undertain, however.

Cornerback Marcus Peters (hip) and linebacker Tamba Hali (knee) also had some limitations in practice in the days leading up to the game.

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Then, the former undrafted safety out of BYU turned into a running back.

Sorensen took the interception on a hip-swiveling 48-yard touchdown return to give the Kansas City Chiefs the lead over the New Orleans on Sunday. He later added a sack, finished with six tackles and had another pass defended in a 27-21 victory over the Saints .

”We actually had a talk about that this week. He’s a heck of an athlete,” Berry said. ”We ask him to do a lot of things and he does them very well. It’s all about finding that rhythm.”

It wasn’t just Sorensen making plays, though. It was the entire Chiefs defense.

Steven Nelson finished with nine tackles from his cornerback spot. Marcus Peters recovered a key fumble in the fourth quarter, when New Orleans was driving into the Chiefs red zone. And safety Ron Parker forced that fumble and another in making life miserable for Brees and Co .

”We knew going up against a team like the Chiefs, with what they do offensively with ball control, time of possession and being super-efficient, we knew our execution had to be at a premium,” Brees said.

Instead, the Saints finished with 463 yards of offense, modest by their standards.

”Fumble in the red zone and we’re not a good enough team to overcome some of those mistakes,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. ”Situationally, we’ve got to be better. We’ve got to be better as coaches, starting with me. It’s disappointing.”

Other notes and takeaways from the Chiefs’ ninth straight home win:

GETTING JUMPY: The Saints were repeatedly penalized for false starts and offsides, and a big reason was the crowd noise inside Arrowhead Stadium. It made communication tough all afternoon.

”They have a good environment, a great environment,” Saints running back Mark Ingram said. ”You just have to stay focused. They did a good job of making it loud and we had a lot of pre-snap penalties. Those are self-inflicted wounds that we can control and we didn’t.”

OPENING SUCCESS: The Saints scored on their opening drive against Kansas City, the fourth straight game they’ve done it. That’s a first during the Brees-Payton era in New Orleans.

”You spend a lot of time and diligence coming up with a game plan and obviously to start the game, we talk about what starting fast does for the team and momentum,” Brees said. ”Historically, we have been good in that regard. You really have to be great with your execution and inevitably you probably have to convert a few third downs. It’s all of those things wrapped into one.”

STREAKING AT HOME: The Chiefs’ home winning streak dates to Oct. 11, 2015, when the Chiefs lost 18-17 to the Chicago Bears. It is tied for the fourth-longest streak in franchise history, and is four short of the record set during the 2002 and `03 seasons.

PICK YOUR POISON: Sorensen’s interception return was the Chiefs’ sixth pick-six since the start of the 2015 season, the most in the NFL. It was also their league-leading 32nd interception over that span, and 10 of them have come this season alone.

UP NEXT: Things don’t get any easier for the Saints, who return home to face the Seahawks and their brutal defense next Sunday. Kansas City hits the road to Indianapolis, where the Chiefs blew a 28-point lead in a playoff defeat two years ago.

”Defense played well. Special teams played well. Offense played well. We played together as a team, collectively,” Chiefs running back Spencer Ware said. ”But we’ve got to keep it going.”

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New Orleans Saints vs. Kansas City Chiefs
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 23, 2016
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Chiefs -6. O/U: 50.5
PREDICTION: Chiefs 26, Saints 23
Oddsmakers currently have the Chiefs listed as 7-point favorites versus the Saints, while the game’s total is sitting at 50.

Kansas City’s defense drastically improved after the bye week, as the team gave up a season-low 286 total yards and held Oakland to 65 on the ground. The team’s biggest weakness had been its run defense, but that’s not likely to be a big factor against the Saints’ punchless ground game. The Chiefs’ passing game isn’t especially dynamic, but the running attack took off last week with a season-high 183 yards – including 131 from Spencer Ware. The Chiefs were a 26-10 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Raiders. They covered the -2-point spread as favorites, while the total score (36) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 3-2 SU,2-3 ATS
Kansas City is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Kansas City is 14-3 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Kansas City’s last 9 games

Some things never seem to change in New Orleans, with one being the productivity of Brees and the passing game. New Orleans ranks second in the league in total offense (413.4 yards) and leads the NFL in passing (335.4 yards). Unfortunately for the Saints, the defense has characteristically struggled, allowing 419.4 yards and 33.3 points per contest. Last time out for New Orleans, they were a 41-38 winner as they battled the Panthers at home. The Saints covered in the match as a +2.5-point underdog, while 79 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Team record: 2-3 SU,3-2 ATS
New Orleans is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans’s last 5 games
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

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Kansas City at Green Bay
When: 8:30 PM ET, Monday, September 28, 2015
Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN.
LINE: Packers -6.5.
O/U: 49
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Oddsmakers currently have the Packers listed as 6½-point favorites versus the Chiefs, while the game’s total is sitting at 48.

Charles had a big game with 125 yards on 21 carries but it went for naught after his second lost fumble of the game snatched a victory away from Kansas City, which has gone 18 consecutive games without a touchdown pass to a wide receiver. Quarterback Alex Smith followed up a strong opener with two interceptions against Denver and has yet to establish much of a rapport with Jeremy Maclin, who had nine catches for 109 yards in the first two games. The Chiefs are tied for second in the league with eight sacks and must try to exploit the absence of offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga, who will miss his second game in a row.

Last time out for Green Bay, they were a 27-17 winner as they battled the Seahawks at home. The Packers covered in the match as a -3.5-point favorite, while 44 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Team record: 2-0 SU,2-0 ATS
Green Bay is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Green Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Green Bay’s last 24 games
Green Bay is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games at home

Rodgers lost his top target when wideout Jordy Nelson suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason and saw Eddie Lacy exit last week’s game with an ankle injury, but the starting running back returned to practice on a limited basis Friday and would not rule out playing. James Starks fills in admirably for Lacy, rushing for 95 yards on 20 carries against Seattle and may need another big effort with wide receiver Davante Adams also questionable with an ankle injury. Rodgers has averaged only 219 yards passing in the first two games but has five scoring passes versus zero interceptions.

In their last action, Kansas City was a 31-24 loser at home against the Broncos. They failed to cover the -3-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (55) was profitable news for OVER bettors.

Team record: 1-1 SU,1-1 ATS
Kansas City is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Kansas City’s last 7 games on the road
Kansas City is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Green Bay
Kansas City is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Green Bay

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Denver at Kansas City
When: 8:25 PM ET, Thursday, September 17, 2015
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, CBS, NFL Network.
LINE: Chiefs -3. O/U: 42
PREDICTION: Chiefs 20, Broncos 17
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Oddsmakers currently have the Chiefs listed as 3-point favorites versus the Broncos, while the game’s total is sitting at 42.

Smith has been typecast as a game manager but he got a vote of confidence – “Alex was on the money all day” – from tight end Travis Kelce, who had a huge opening game with six catches for 106 yards and a pair of scores. Running back Jamaal Charles had a relative quiet season debut with 57 yards rushing while matching newcomer Jeremy Maclin with five catches, but he has scored 15 touchdowns in his last 14 games overall. Kansas City yielded an AFC-low 281 points last season and received a boost with the return of linebacker Derrick Johnson, who registered a team-high eight tackles in his first game back after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Kansas City won its last outing, a 27-20 result against the Texans on September 13. The Chiefs covered in that game as a -1-point favorite, while the 47 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Team record: 1-0 SU,1-0 ATS
Kansas City is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games
Kansas City is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Kansas City’s last 13 games
Kansas City is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games at home

Manning’s arm strength, or lack thereof, has been a hot-button topic throughout the preseason and he finished with only 175 yards without a scoring pass in the opener, but he has thrown for 1,736 yards with 16 TDs versus three interceptions in six meetings against the Chiefs since joining Denver. C.J. Anderson was limited to 29 yards on 12 carries while dealing with a sprained toe, but he was at practice Tuesday night along with star wideout Demaryius Thomas, who suffered a hand injury versus Baltimore. The Broncos’ defense, which produced the lone touchdown in Week 1 on Aqib Talib’s interception return, limited the Ravens to only 173 total yards.

Last time out for Denver, they were a 19-13 winner as they battled the Ravens at home. The Broncos covered in the match as a -4.5-point favorite, while 32 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Team record: 1-0 SU,1-0 ATS
Denver is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver’s last 7 games
Denver is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games on the road
Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Kansas City

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San Diego at Kansas City
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 28, 2014
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Chiefs -2.5. O/U: 42.
PREDICTION: Chargers 27, Chiefs 24
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Oddsmakers currently have the Chiefs listed as 3-point favorites versus the Chargers, while the game’s total is sitting at 42½.

Quarterback Alex Smith passed for a season-best 311 yards in last week’s 20-12 loss to Pittsburgh and has thrown for 3,265 yards overall, marking the first time he has topped 3,000 in back-to-back seasons. Standout rusher Jamaal Charles was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl and is 21 yards from reaching 1,000 rushing yards for the fifth time in his career but played poorly against the Steelers, rushing for 29 yards and losing a key fumble. Outside linebacker Justin Houston, picked to his third Pro Bowl, has an NFL-leading 18 sacks and is two from the club record set by Derrick Thomas (20 in 1990). “We are all pulling for him that he can finish up,” Reid told reporters of Houston’s bid to catch Thomas. “I know that’s not the most important thing for him – he wants to win the game – but at the same time, he sure has done a nice job with it.”

The Chiefs were a 20-12 loser in their most recent outing on the road against the Steelers. They failed to cover the +2.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (32) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 8-7 SU,9-6 ATS
Kansas City is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Kansas City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Kansas City’s last 11 games
Kansas City is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home

Rivers has thrown 31 touchdown passes and needs three more to break the franchise career mark of Dan Fouts (254) and is five yards away from his sixth 4,000-yard season. Tight end Antonio Gates continues to climb up the all-time lists: He’s 53 yards from becoming the fourth tight end in history to reach 10,000 receiving yards and his next scoring reception will make the ninth player in NFL history with 100 career TD catches. Cornerback Brandon Flowers has a team-best three interceptions and is eager to clinch a playoff berth against K.C., which released him in the offseason after six seasons with the team. Safety Eric Weddle is headed to his third Pro Bowl and has 109 tackles, his third season with triple-digit stops.

San Diego won its last outing, a 38-35 result against the 49ers on December 20. The Chargers covered in that game as a +1.5-point underdog, while the 73 combined points took the game OVER the total.

San Diego:
Team record: 9-6 SU,7-8 ATS
San Diego is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games
San Diego is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
San Diego is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
San Diego is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road

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