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Sunday Night Football Picks: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tennessee Titans Betting Odds, Best Bets, and Predictions
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The Titans (5-2) head into Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Chiefs (5-2) for a Week 9 Sunday Night Football clash.
Tennessee comes in off having rattled off all five of its wins this season in consecutive fashion, with the most recent success a 17-10 win over the Texans in Week 8. However, as in that game, Tennessee is likely to have to play Sunday night without Ryan Tannehill (ankle), likely leaving Malik Willis his second career start.
The Chiefs have won three of their last four games, with their most recent success an impressive 44-23 throttling of the 49ers in San Francisco in Week 7 before the Week 8 bye.
Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs for Sunday Night Football Week 9
*Best lines at time of writing listed
Moneyline: Titans +525 (BetMGM Sportsbook)/ Chiefs -560 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Point spread: Titans +13.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)/ Chiefs -12.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Totals: Over 45.5 points (DraftKings Sportsbook)/ Under 45.5 points (PointsBet Sportsbook)
The Chiefs opened as 10.5-point home favorites in the middle of last week, but it plummeted to 12.5 shortly after Week 8 concluded. After a brief reduction to 12 points, bettors got on the KC train and pushed the number all the way to its current 13.5.
The total has narrowed since its initial 47-point figure, plummeting quickly to 45 after Tennessee's modest offensive showing against the Texans with Willis under center in Week 8. There was some subsequent toggling between 45.5 and 46, which still remains the case as kickoff approaches.
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Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs Betting Picks This Week
As mentioned previously, the Titans look likely to have to roll with Willis for a second straight game due to Tannehill's injury. There's certainly not much of a sample size to go on with respect to the rookie, and he only needed to put the ball up 10 times against the Texans in Week 8. That naturally isn't expected to be the case Sunday night, which could spell trouble for the Titans' air attack as a whole. KC's secondary has been vulnerable at times and has surrendered 289 passing yards per home game, but Willis could be subject to pressure considering KC has racked up 19 sacks in seven games.
Derrick Henry's impact against a Chiefs team allowing just 92 rushing yards per game could also be lessened if the Chiefs are able to jump out to a lead that eventually forces game script to turn away from the ground attack. There's certainly the possibility of that happening given Patrick Mahomes' stellar form thus far (2,159 passing yards, 20:5 TD:INT) and the Titans' secondary's issues slowing down the pass in the road.
Tennessee has allowed 275 passing yards per road game, along with 11.6 yards per completion in that split. Mahomes is actually putting up a higher average yards per attempt (8.2) than last season (7.4) when he had Tyreek Hill. Sunday night, he'll reportedly have a high-upside new asset at his disposal in Kadarius Toney, who was traded from the Giants at the deadline and is reportedly over the hamstring injuries that plagued him at the end of his tenure in New York.
With the Chiefs capable of jumping out to a sizable lead and the Titans seemingly ill-equipped to catch any team from two possessions or more down even when Tannehill is available, this shapes up to me as a game KC eventually pulls away in and scores enough points to help the Over hit.
Titans at Chiefs Best Bets: Same-Game Parlay: Chiefs -13.5 and Over 45.5 points (+264 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs Prediction
Chiefs 37, Titans 13
As discussed, the Chiefs should be able to progressively overwhelm the Titans in this spot, especially with their defense likely having to spend some extra time on the field if Willis starts as expected. Additionally, Mahomes should be able to amply exploit Tennessee's troubles against the pass on the road, leading to what should be a comfortable victory.
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