2023 AFC Championship Game prediction, odds, line, start time: Chiefs vs. Bengals picks by expert on 49-32 run
The Cincinnati Bengals will try to continue their recent dominance over the Kansas City Chiefs when they meet in the AFC Championship Game for the second year in a row on Sunday. The Bengals (14-4), who won the AFC North Division title, have beaten Kansas City in seven of the past eight meetings, including a 27-24 overtime win in last year's title game. The Chiefs (15-3), who won the AFC West crown, are playing in their fifth consecutive AFC Championship in the NFL playoffs. The Bengals are seeking their fourth trip to a Super Bowl and second in a row, while the Chiefs are trying to make their fifth Super Bowl and first since 2020.
Kickoff from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. Kansas City is a 1.5-point favorite in the latest Chiefs vs. Bengals odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 47.5. Before you make any Bengals vs. Chiefs picks or NFL playoff predictions, make sure you check out what SportsLine's resident Bengals expert, R.J. White, has to say.
White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 445-378-24 on his ATS picks from 2017-21, which returned $2,542 to $100 players. He's also an incredible 49-32-2 on his last 83 against-the-spread picks involving the Bengals, returning $1,354 for $100 bettors.
He's well-known for cashing out big in the Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest twice since 2015. White also cashed big on his NFL futures in 2021, including nailing Jonathan Taylor as the NFL rushing leader at 10-1. Anyone who has followed White is way up.
Now, White has zoned in on Bengals vs. Chiefs and just locked in his picks and NFL playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are the NFL odds and betting lines for Bengals vs. Chiefs:
- Bengals vs. Chiefs spread: Kansas City -1.5
- Bengals vs. Chiefs over/under: 47.5 points
- Bengals vs. Chiefs money line: Cincinnati +110, Kansas City -130
- CIN: Bengals are 13-2-1 against the spread in their last 16 games against teams with a winning record
- KC: Under is 4-0 in the Chiefs' last four home games against teams with a winning road record
- Bengals vs. Chiefs picks: See picks here
Featured Game| Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Why the Bengals can cover
Quarterback Joe Burrow has three touchdowns and zero interceptions with a 100.8 rating in the 2023 NFL playoffs and is looking for his fourth game in a row overall in the playoffs with no interceptions. He is 3-0 with nine touchdowns (eight passing, one rushing) with one interception and a 121 rating in three career starts against Kansas City, including the 2021 AFC Championship Game. Burrow can tie Russell Wilson (six) for the most playoff wins by a quarterback in his first three seasons in the Super Bowl era. He ranked fifth in the NFL with 4,475 passing yards and tied for second with a career-high 35 touchdown passes in 2022.
Running back Joe Mixon had a playoff career-high 123 scrimmage yards (105 rushing, 18 receiving) and a rushing touchdown last week at Buffalo. He has 50 or more yards from scrimmage in each of his six career playoff games, including 115 scrimmage yards (88 rushing, 27 receiving) in the 2021 AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs. During the regular season, he had 1,255 yards from scrimmage, including 814 rushing and a career-high 441 receiving. It was his fourth season with 1,250 or more scrimmage yards. See which team to pick here.
Why the Chiefs can cover
Despite injuring his ankle in last week's Divisional Round win over Jacksonville, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was dominant despite some limitations. He completed 22 of 30 passes (73.3%) for 195 yards and two touchdowns for a 112.5 rating. During the regular season, Mahomes completed 435 of 648 attempts (67.1%) for 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns. He was picked off 12 times, but had a rating of 105.2.
Running back Isiah Pacheco took some of the pressure off Mahomes by carrying 12 times for 95 yards (7.9 average) and three first-down conversions. He also helped keep his quarterback clean, as Mahomes was not sacked on the day. During the regular season, Pacheco led the Chiefs in rushing, carrying 170 times for 830 yards (4.9 average) and five touchdowns. He had five explosive plays of 20 yards or more, including a season-high 31-yarder. See which team to pick here.
How to make Bengals vs. Chiefs picks
For Sunday's AFC Championship Game 2023 matchup, White is leaning over the point total, but he also says a critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back. You can find out what it is, and see the rest of White's picks and analysis, at SportsLine.
