Another Primetime Under Looms On Sunday Night Football

Chiefs vs. Falcons, 8:20 ET

Prime time football returns and so does the betting analysis from yours truly. Sunday Night Football typically offers us one of the better matchups of the day and something we can focus in on as opposed to the distraction of trying to see what is happening during 10 games of football. No matter which way you prefer to enjoy your football, I am excited to see this one and see if we can close the weekend with a win. Let's take a look at how we should play the game between the Chiefs and the Falcons. 

Quarterback A: 38/53, 442 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions

Quarterback B: 36/55, 396 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions

Which do you prefer? Do you even have a preference? Quarterback A is Patrick Mahomes, the all-world, three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback who has no lack of descriptors tossed his way about just how great he is. In two games, Mahomes has looked rather average to this point in the season. However, his team is 2-0 so he clearly has done just enough. His receivers may be better than last season, but the team still lacks a top-tier option like Tyreek Hill. Travis Kelce is still a great option and a security blanket, but the Chiefs aren't creating the separation they need with their offense. The Falcons have a decent enough defense that it will present a struggle for Kansas City to attack at will. In order to attack this team, the Chiefs will need to get the ground game going so that they can open up a bit of space in the middle or through the air. I am not one to fade Mahomes, but I do have some concern about their passing game. I do think the Falcons secondary can be beaten. They faced an Eagles team without AJ Brown and a Steelers team without a quarterback who is known for passing, so they really haven't been tested even though they came up with a game-winning interception against the Eagles. I do think the Chiefs should find a way to get three or more touchdowns in this one.

Here's another choice for you:

Running Back A: 34 carries, 135 yards, one touchdown

Running Back B: 32 carries, 165 yards, no touchdowns

If you took the first running back, Isiah Pacheco, you'd have one that was picked in the seventh round of 2022, but is now placed on the injured list. If you took the second running back, Bijan Robinson, you get a guy with lofty expectations who was picked in the first round last year. To this point Robinson has underperformed and been a bit of an enigma in the league. Is the offensive line not good enough to give him space? Has he lost his skill? Does he not know plays well enough? For whatever reason. Robinson has been fairly average despite the thought that he was going to be a difference-maker. Robinson did have a great game last week, despite not finding the endzone. He carried the ball 14 times for 97 yards and received four of his five targets for 25 yards. This isn't the ideal game for Robinson, but they should rely on him heavily as they need to milk some clock and keep Mahomes off of the field. The Chiefs defense remains one of the better in the league. Kirk Cousins, Quarterback B above, has done fine since returning from injury, and looked great on that final drive against the Eagles. Still, this Chiefs defense will be a harder team to beat than the Eagles. Unless Robinson can get loose, I really don't expect much success from the Falcons drive.

If you wanted to say the Chiefs are lucky, I don't think you'd have much of a fight from me. They kept the Ravens from having a shot at winning by a toe on the line. Then they had a call from the refs - a correct call - put them in field goal range in order for them to win the game against the Bengals. The Falcons looked lost against a tough Steelers defense, and got incredibly lucky twice against the Eagles. I do think the Chiefs are the significantly better team, and I lean toward them covering the -3.5 in this one. I do think this game will be an under as the teams the Chiefs offense doesn't look sharp, and I think the Falcons will struggle to score against Kansas City. Back under 46.5.

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