The Kansas City Chiefs will try to stay unbeaten as they pursue their third consecutive Super Bowl championship when they battle the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football. Kansas City is coming off a 26-25 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, while Atlanta rallied late to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles, 22-21. The Chiefs (2-0), who are seeking their ninth consecutive AFC West title, were 4-0 on turf last season. The Falcons (1-1), who placed third in the NFC South at 7-10 last year, were 6-7 on turf in 2023.
Kickoff from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is set for 8:20 p.m. ET. Kansas City is a 3-point favorite in the latest Falcons vs. Chiefs odds via SportsLine Consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 46.5. Before you make any Chiefs vs. Falcons picks or predictions, you need to see what proven SportsLine NFL expert Larry Hartstein has to say, given his mastery of picks involving the Falcons.
A former lead writer for Covers and The Linemakers, Hartstein combines a vast network of Vegas sources with an analytical approach he honed while working for Pro Football Focus. Hartstein tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS. Larry’s weekly Vegas contest selections form the basis of his NFL best bets column, which is 79-48-2 (62.2%, +25.95 units) since its inception in 2022. Entering the 2024 season, Hartstein is 739-599 all-time on NFL sides and props (plus $4,860 for $100 players, every bet 1 unit) at SportsLine, including 547-452 ATS (55% long-term).
In addition, Hartstein has gone an incredible 49-23-2 on his last 74 NFL picks involving the Falcons, returning $2,155. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, Hartstein has locked in on Chiefs vs. Falcons from every angle and just locked in his picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several NFL odds on the spread, over/under and money line for NFL betting on Falcons vs. Chiefs:
- Falcons vs. Chiefs spread: Kansas City -3
- Falcons vs. Chiefs over/under: 46.5 points
- Falcons vs. Chiefs money line: Kansas City -165, Atlanta +139
- KC: Chiefs have hit the fourth-quarter game total under in 17 of their last 19 games (+14.75 units)
- ATL: Falcons have hit the third-quarter total under in five of their last seven games at home (+2.25 units)
- Falcons vs. Chiefs picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Chiefs can cover
Kansas City is led by eighth-year veteran quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The first round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and two-time MVP is off to a solid start to the season. In two games, he has completed 38 of 53 passes (71.7%) for 442 yards and three touchdowns. He has been intercepted three times and has a rating of 91.9. In Sunday’s win over the Bengals, Mahomes completed 18 of 25 attempts (72%) for 151 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
With running back Isiah Pacheco out for at least six weeks with a leg injury, Kansas City will have to rely on a number of other weapons. One of those is second-year wide receiver Rashee Rice. In two games, he already has 12 receptions for 178 yards (14.8 average) and one touchdown. He played in 16 games a year ago, making 79 catches for 938 yards (11.9 average) and seven TDs. See which team to back here.
Why the Falcons can cover
Thirteen-year veteran Kirk Cousins is coming off a brilliant Monday Night Football performance. In the win over the Eagles, he drove Atlanta 70 yards in less than two minutes as the Falcons pulled out the improbable win. He completed 20 of 29 passes (69%) for 241 yards and two touchdowns in the game. For the year, he has completed 36 of 55 attempts (65.5%) for 396 yards and three touchdowns. He has been intercepted twice and has a rating of 89.7.
Wide receiver Darnell Mooney continues to be explosive. He has four receptions for 103 yards (25.8 average) and one touchdown. He has three receptions of 20 yards or longer, including a 41-yarder. He has 37 yards after the catch and has converted four first downs. The former Chicago Bear is in his fifth year in the NFL and has played in 62 games, making 217 receptions for 2,696 yards (12.4 average) and 12 touchdowns. See which team to pick here.
How to make Falcons vs. Chiefs picks
Hatstein has analyzed Chiefs vs. Falcons from every possible angle and while we can tell you he’s leaning Under the point total, he has also discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s sharing what it is, and which side to back, only at SportsLine.
Who wins Chiefs vs. Falcons on Sunday Night Football, and which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Chiefs vs. Falcons spread to back, all from the expert who is an incredible 49-23 on picks involving Atlanta, and find out.
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Author: CBS Sports Staff
September 22, 2024 | 11:01 am