One of the smartest things the NFL every did this century was stage the Kickoff Game, where the defending Super Bowl champion hosts another marquee opponent on a Thursday night to start the new season. That’s the case on Thursday as the champion Patriots welcome the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s not strange at all that New England is favorite to beat Kansas City in this season opener, hence the -8 in the NFL odds. But could the Chiefs give them an upset?
Kansas City at New England NFL Week 1 Odds, Preview & Game Info
When: Thursday, Sept. 7, 8:30 PM ET Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA TV: NBC Radio: KCFX – FM 101.1 (Kansas City) / 98.5 The Sports Hub (New England) Stream Option: NBCSports.com Opening NFL Odds: Pats -8 (48)Week ☝️ Practice
Photo Gallery 📸 https://t.co/POdQkFI9xd pic.twitter.com/OvI0tApXoS — Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 4, 2017
Weather Forecast
- Partly Cloudy: 17°C/63°F
- Humidity: 80%
- Precipitation: 19%
- Wind: 4 mph SW
- Cloud Cover: 31%
- Type of Stadium: Open
Series History
The Patriots and Chiefs will meet for the first time since a 27-20 New England win the AFC Divisional Playoffs on Jan. 16, 2016 at Gillette Stadium. It will be the first regular season meeting since the Patriots suffered a 41-14 loss in a Monday Night Football game played at Kansas City on Sept. 29, 2014. The last two regular season meetings between the two have been played on Monday Night Football with the Patriots taking a 34-3 win at Gillette stadium on Nov. 21, 2011 and falling 41-14 at Arrowhead Stadium in the 2014 game. Kansas City holds a 17-13-3 edge against New England, including an 11-3-1 advantage in games played in Kansas City and a 5-1 record at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs are 6-10- 2 in games played at New England, including 0-3 at Gillette Stadium (0-4 including the postseason).NFL Week 1 Trends Every Bettor Should Be Aware of
Why Bet On Kansas City?
The Chiefs have won 11 consecutive AFC West Division games and 22 of their last 26 regular season contests, the best record in the NFL over that stretch. In 2016, Andy Reid’s team earned the number two seed in the AFC Playoffs and a first-round bye after finishing 12-4. Reid moved into the top-10 on the all-time wins chart with his 184th victory last season (regular and postseason combined). He trails only Bill Belichick (263) among active coaches for most combined wins. They owned a +16 turnover differential last season (33 takeaways, 17 giveaways), tied for the best mark in the NFL. KC scored 105 points off turnovers, the third-best total in the NFL, and forced a league-best eight red zone takeaways. KC led the league in miscellaneous touchdowns scored with eight (four INTs, one fumble, one kickoff return, two punt returns), including two pick-sixes by S Eric Berry and three special teams returns by WR Tyreek Hill. The rookie receiver Hill had 12 total touchdowns last season (three rushing, three returning, six receiving) and 860 scrimmage yards (10.1 yards per touch). The Chiefs defense allowed an average of only 19.4 points per game. Offensively, tight end Travis Kelce led the club with 85 receptions for 1,125 yards and four TDs. QB Alex Smith completed 328 passes for 3,502 yards with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The team likely will employ a committee backfield in Week 1 against the Patriots. Reid previously called rookie Kareem Hunt the Chiefs’ “feature back,” but it’s possible the coaching staff is having second thoughts after Hunt had some preseason slip-ups in pass protection. The Chiefs also have Charcandrick West and C.J. Spiller. Starter Spencer Ware was lost for the season in the preseason.Why Bet On New England?
The Patriots are the last team to defend their title after winning back-to- back Super Bowls in 2003 and 2004. The NFL’s Thursday Night Kickoff began in 2002, and the defending Super Bowl Champion has hosted every year since 2004. New England is 3-0 when playing in the Thursday Kickoff game as the defending Super Bowl Champion. The Patriots won the first two such contests. New England defeated Indianapolis, 27-24, on Sept. 9, 2004, and Oakland, 30-20, on Sept. 8, 2005, in Thursday games at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots defeated Pittsburgh, 28-21, on Sept. 10, 2015. Overall, the Patriots are 4-0 all-time in season openers after winning the Super Bowl, including a 30-14 Monday Night Football win vs. Pittsburgh on Sept. 9, 2002, the first regular season game at Gillette Stadium.
How Different Will New England Be This Season?
The Pats will look a little different than last year as they traded for WR Brandin Cooks and WR Phillip Dorsett but lost WR Julian Edelman, the team’s leading receiver, to a season-ending injury in the preseason. Dorsett has not been a slot man in the NFL, but his availability on the outside will make it easier for the Pats to stick Chris Hogan in the middle. Dorsett has been close to a complete bust in the NFL, but had a decent preseason with the Colts’ woeful quarterbacks, catching five passes for 75 yards. He’s averaged 14.8 yards per catch as an NFLer. Brady knows that he and the offense will have their work cut out for them against the Chiefs. On Monday, he singled out several of Kansas City’s playmakers on defense, a unit that ranked first in the NFL last season with 33 takeaways. “Derrick Johnson is one of the best linebackers in the league; he does so many things for that defense. Eric Berry is a big time playmaker and Marcus Peters has more interceptions than anyone since he came into the league. [Justin] Houston, [Dee] Ford, they strip-sack the quarterback,” he said. With newcomers like wide receiver Cooks, tight end Dwayne Allen and running backs Mike Gillislee and Rex Burkhead joining Brady’s arsenal (along with the absence of Edelman), Brady said the Patriots’ offense will be a work in progress for much of the early part of the season.Latest NFL Odds Trends
- Kansas City is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 games
- Kansas City is 10-3 SU in the last 13 games
- The total went UNDER in 9 of Kansas City’s last 13 games
- New England is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 games
- New England is 5-0 SU in the last 5 games
- The total went OVER in 4 of New England’s last 5 games
