Chiefs vs. Cardinals Prediction and Odds for Week 1

Let’s take a look at the early betting odds for the Week 1 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Arizona Cardinals.

If you’ve been waiting for real NFL games to kick off to get the gambling juices flowing, you’re in luck. Week 1 is upon us! For members of Chiefs Kingdom, it’s the start of a season they hope will end in the same place it begins: in the desert with the city of Phoenix hosting this year’s Super Bowl.

As the Kansas City Chiefs begin their week of practice before visiting the Arizona Cardinals to open the season, it’s time to check out the first round of odds. Let’s check in on the moneyline to see what oddsmakers are saying about this matchu.

Chiefs vs Cardinals Odds Week 1

Over at FanDuel, the Chiefs are favored by 3.5 points despite being the road team in Week 1. The Chiefs open with a moneyline of -198 while the Cardinals sit at +166. The over/under for the game initially comes in at 53.5 points.

Chiefs vs. Cardinals Prediction Week 1

The best bet to take here is the under on overall points, which is currently listed at 53.5. Yes, the Chiefs averaged 28.2 points per game last year while the Cardinals averaged 26.4, which means both teams combined averaged more than the opening over/under for this game. That said, we’d still recommend the under.

The truth is that Arizona is going to have a harder time scoring points working without their most dynamic weapon given DeAndre Hopkins’ suspension to start the year. Beyond that, they’ve also lost other personnel and are working against several injuries. As for the Chiefs, they’re without the mismatches created by Tyreek Hill’s presence and might not be as explosive, even if remain deep and dangerous.

It should be noted that the Chiefs’ defense looks younger and more athletic than they have in years, especially in the second and third levels. The unit might find itself making some costly mental mistakes as they learn and grow as a unit, but the floor is significantly higher given the newfound depth all around.