NFL experts are divided between Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs
By Jacob Harris
The L.A. Rams and Kansas City Chiefs are two evenly matched conference powers, which is why experts are divided on their Week 11 predictions.
The last few weeks have seen the entire NFL world turn its focus and anticipation toward the Week 11 meeting between the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs, who are set to meet on Monday Night Football.
The two most exciting offenses in a long time battling it out in what some see as a Super Bowl preview will almost certainly be one of the year’s biggest draws. Then it became apparent both teams would be 9-1 coming into the game. Then Estadio Azteca’s field was such a mess it was deemed unplayable and the game was moved from Mexico City to Los Angeles. Then it was revealed Patrick Mahomes hooks ketchup directly to his veins. It’s been a wild build, and anything outside of a roller coaster shootout will not live up to the hype.
After weeks of the Chiefs being heavy favorites, the experts’ picks this week reflect just how much of a tossup this game feels on the surface. The game moving to L.A. and becoming a true home game for the Rams has certainly swung a bit more favor toward Sean McVay’s squad, but analysts are still pretty split on which high-powered offense will come out on top.
ESPN is split right down the middle this week—five for the Chiefs, five for the Rams. The analysts picking the Chiefs; Matt Bowen, Dan Graziano, Mina Kimes, Louis Riddick, and Seth Wickersham.
CBS is a little more friendly to K.C., with five of their eight analysts picking the Chiefs. Pete Prisco, Jared Dubin, and Jamey Eisenberg are the three picking the Rams. For those keeping score. Yes, that means Jason La Canfora is back to picking the Chiefs.
FiveThirtyEight’s model just barely favors the Rams, giving them a 54% win probability. As for their Super Bowl win probabilities, the Chiefs have jumped to 20%, but have dropped to second most likely to win it all, with the Saints vaulting up to 21%.
It’s difficult not to talk in hyperbole when discussing this game. It really is a rarely unique meeting of two firework offenses. They’re very different, with the Rams being more traditional in their personnel and formations and the Chiefs being incredibly multiple and willing to line up just about any player just about anywhere, but they’re also almost exactly equally explosive.
If the Andy Reid and the Chiefs are going to prove their offense isn’t a gimmick and isn’t just schoolyard trickery on a large scale, this is the first game to give them a chance to do that. It’s not an exaggeration to suggest what Reid is doing with this offense could very well become the blueprint for offenses across the league for years to come.
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“Revolutionary” is thrown around a lot, and it’s too early to say whether this unique philosophy blend of West Coast, Spread, and a dash of Air Raid is going to change things league-wide, but at least for this year what the Chiefs are doing is certainly revelatory.