Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday … sounds like a schedule for a Prime delivery truck dropping off another package on your porch. But no, this list of days are the game dates for the National Football League this week. For those households that have a rift between family members who spend too much time watching football and not enough time with their families, this holiday week the NFL is in full Grinch.
As for me … I love it.
What happened to Friday?
The action starts on Christmas Day when the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Baltimore Ravens are in Houston to take on the Texans. This lineup of Christmas contests includes the same four teams that played in last Saturday’s schedule when the Chiefs beat the Texans, and the Ravens downed the Steelers. These four teams are like performers in a square dance that just switched partners.
The public is betting the same teams that won last week, the Chiefs and Ravens, are going to win again this week. The point spreads on these games have already shifted in that direction. Kansas City opened as a 2½ point road favorite and is now posted at 3 points. In Houston, the Ravens opened as a 4-point pick and that line has risen a point.
Are the line moves right?
I have trouble arguing with them.
First of all, the Steelers need this game to maintain their hopes of winning their division, the AFC North. But they have demonstrated in the past couple weeks that the rise to the top of their division during a season they opened with a question at quarterback and have enjoyed the revitalization of Russell Wilson, who won six of his first seven starts, may have reached an expiration date.
The Steelers were beaten in Philadelphia by the Eagles two weeks ago in a game not as close as the final score, 27-13. On Saturday, they got pummeled by the Ravens, 34-17, against an opponent they had dominated in recent seasons. Now they meet the Chiefs, and while they have something to play for in looking to win their division, Kansas City also has something on the line in this one … their drive to the top seed for the playoffs which they would lock down with a victory.
The Chiefs have the best record in football, 14-1, and the only knock on this team is that Patrick Mahomes is not having his best season. His quarterback rating is off ten points from his career average, and his struggles have left the Chiefs often in a position to need late heroics to pull out close games.
Thing is, while their point spread record is still a losing one even after their two most recent wins against the line, 6-9, the Chiefs have a winning culture that overcomes both their own mistakes and an opponent's attempt at climbing the mountain to knock off the two-time defending Super Bowl Champions.
Right now, the Chiefs have found ways to overcome their injuries with key additions, and the emergence of the rhythm between two future hall of farmers, recently acquired wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and Mahomes, makes the Chiefs offense more potent than it has been though most of this campaign. And their defense this season is why they are on the verge of locking up the top seed in the American Football Conference playoffs.
The NFL Grinch may have stolen Christmas, but as long as we are here, we might just as soon make some money … and I suggest the Chiefs will get that done in Pittsburgh on, of all days, Wednesday.
Qoxhi Picks: Kansas City Chiefs (-3) over Pittsburgh Steelers