The National Football League is playing their fifth of seven International Games today when the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars square off at Wembley Stadium in London. The game started shortly before the roosters crowed on the west coast, at 6:30 a.m.
Fortunately, the Rams/Jaguars matchup doesn’t show up on our charts as a game we have for wagering purposes. A number of other matchups today do.
The weather in London included some showers for the early game, while stateside there are two places we can expect rain during today’s NFL action. There is a 40% chance of rain in Chicago where the Bears will host the New Orleans Saints and a 100% chance of rain to fall during the Browns versus Miami Dolphins contest in Cleveland.
Still, no severe weather at any site that would drastically affect the play on the field.
The Kansas City Chiefs evened their season record with a third win last Sunday night over the talented Detroit Lions. Andy Reid’s team opened defense of their AFC title with a pair of losses. First, in another of the NFL’s International Games, they were downed in Brazil by one of their primary AFC West Division rivals, the Los Angeles Chargers. In second week action, they were beaten by the same team that ended their bid for a third straight Super Bowl Championship last February, the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Chargers had opened their season with three straight wins over division opponents and already had a two game bulge in their division standings over Kansas City, Las Vegas and Denver. They also owned a win in the first of two head-to-head meetings against all three teams in their division.
You might say, after three weeks the Chargers were sitting pretty atop the AFC West with a two game lead over their division opponents with wins over the Chiefs, Broncos and Raiders.
That served as a call to action for Patrick Mahomes and company, and they have now won three of their most recent four games and climbed over the Raiders and only trail Denver and Los Angeles by a single game.
I tell you that, because of this.
I know some very sharp players who are taking the Raiders today at Arrowhead with the generous 12 point spread. Even while the Chiefs have rolled with Mahomes at quarterback, the Raiders have routinely given the Chiefs competitive games. In fact, since Mahomes became the starter in 2018, the Raiders have won only two of 14 games straight-up but are 7-7 against the point spread which includes a 4-3 point spread record in Kansas City.
So, take the Raiders today?
If you do, you will be with some very sharp players … but not me. I think the Chiefs games have often come against the Silver and Black when they have had a cushion in their division race and without the motivation to pour it on against an inferior opponent. I think the 12-2 mark straight-up is significant and I would expect the Chiefs to win another one today and while chasing two teams in their division race I suspect Pete Carroll and his squad will get the best Kansas City has to offer. When motivated, the Chiefs can cover a double-digit spread.
As for the public this week, their favorite play of the day is the Philadelphia Eagles (-2) over the Minnesota Vikings. The next two most-bet games are the Chicago Bears (-4) over the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots (-7) over the Tennessee Titans.
The four Qoxhi Picks rated plays are now posted on this site, and if a Bullet Play develops in the final hour leading up to the 10:00 a.m. kickoffs that game will be added to the list of recommendations by 9:45 a.m. Pacific Time.