We have ourselves quite the showdown in the late window of Week 2 as the Kansas City Chiefs are set to host the Cincinnati Bengals on CBS. These two AFC clubs are no strangers to one another as they've duked it out on some of the NFL's highest stages throughout Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes' careers.
Thus far, Burrow has been the toughest adversary for Mahomes, despite the Chiefs signal-caller tallying three Super Bowl championships to Burrow's zero. The Bengals quarterback is 3-1 against Mahomes (including playoffs), and all four of those matchups have been decided by exactly three points. Their most recent matchup came in the 2022 AFC Championship, where Mahomes notched his first win over Burrow to advance to the Super Bowl.
While that's the history, the more recent paths have these teams on different trajectories. Cincinnati was upset in the opener at the hands of the New England Patriots, while the Chiefs took down the Baltimore Ravens to begin their quest for a three-peat. As we wait for kickoff in this head-to-head bout, let's break down this matchup and inform you how to watch the game on CBS and Paramount+.
All NFL odds are via SportsLine Consensus.
Where to watch
Date: Sunday, Sept. 15 | Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City)
TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+ (click here)
Odds: Chiefs -6, O/U 48
When the Bengals have the ball
The Bengals are likely to be without standout wide receiver Tee Higgins for the second week in a row. He is officially listed as doubtful after not practicing all week due to a hamstring injury. His absence will put a dent in Cincinnati's ability to slice Kansas City's secondary through the air. In his five career games against the Chiefs, Higgins has totaled 302 yards and two touchdowns, so his possible loss can't be overstated.
Speaking of injuries, Joe Burrow's surgically repaired wrist has been the topic of conversation throughout the summer, and that didn't subside as the regular season kicked off. In the Week 1 matchup against New England, Burrow didn't push the ball down the field much, as his intended air yards per pass attempt was 5.6. Is that due to his wrist, the absence of Higgins or a little bit of both? Combine that with Burrow's historical struggles to begin the season, and there's some cause for concern for how this offense may move down the field against this Chiefs defense.
Of course, the offense will lean on wideout Ja'Marr Chase as much as possible. He caught six passes in the opener for 62 yards. While his overall numbers against the Chiefs -- 533 receiving yards and four touchdowns in five games -- are impressive, a bulk of that came in his first-ever matchup against them. In his last four games against K.C., Chase has averaged 66.7 receiving yards per game and has one total touchdown. He'll need to produce at a higher level than that to help avoid Cincinnati from falling to 0-2.
When the Chiefs have the ball
Patrick Mahomes has historically started seasons on a strong note. In Weeks 1 and 2, the Chiefs quarterback is 11-2 all time with 41 total touchdowns and just five interceptions. From what we saw in the season opener against Baltimore, Mahomes looks primed to continue that trend as he completed 20 of his 28 throws for 291 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
While Travis Kelce will be a trusted option for Mahomes, it'll be fascinating to watch the continued development of wideouts Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. Rice was Mahomes' most targeted weapon in Week 1, looking his way nine times and connecting on seven throws for 103 yards. As Rice moved the chains, Worthy, a first-round rookie out of Texas, provided a speedy burst to the offense not seen since the days of Tyreek Hill. In his debut, Worthy had two touchdowns: a 21-yard rush and a 35-yard receiving score.
Those two will be key pieces for how the Chiefs attack through the air, but this could end up being a massive opportunity for running back Isiah Pacheco. He had a modest 45 yards on the ground in the opener to go with a touchdown, but now faces a Cincinnati run defense that gave up 170 yards and a touchdown last week.
Bengals vs. Chiefs key matchup
Cincinnati right tackle Trent Brown didn't have a strong showing in his Bengals debut. On the second play from scrimmage, he was badly beaten by Patriots pass rusher Keion White, who went on to sack Joe Burrow and force a fumble. Overall, White finished with 2.5 sacks on the afternoon. So, if Brown's struggles bleed into Week 2, that could result in a similar outing for Chiefs pass rusher George Karlaftis. The former first-round pick had two tackles and a quarterback hit in the opener and could very well tally his first sack in 2024 in this game.
Prediction
Yes, these two teams have routinely played each other tight, but I don't expect this to be a particularly close affair. The Bengals seem to be trending in an 0-2 direction as Burrow doesn't look completely healthy, and there are questions along the offensive line and receiver room. Meanwhile, you have a Chiefs team that is better than it was during their Super Bowl run a year ago with the addition of Worthy, and their defense continues to be among the best in the league. From a betting standpoint, the six-point spread feels manageable for Kansas City. Joe Burrow and the Bengals are 1-8 straight up and 2-7 against the spread in Weeks 1 and 2.
Projected score: Chiefs 30, Bengals 21
The pick: Chiefs -6
