The Kansas City Chiefs (6-10) and Las Vegas Raiders (2-14) will square off in NFL Week 18 on Sunday afternoon. Kickoff from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada is set for 4:25 p.m. ET. The game will broadcast live on CBS.
The Chiefs are 4-point favorites over the Raiders on the spread, with the over/under set at 36 total points. Kansas City is a -230 favorite to win outright, while Las Vegas is +185 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Chiefs vs Raiders prediction and NFL picks for Sunday, January 4.
Chiefs vs Raiders Picks, Prediction
- Chiefs vs Raiders pick: Raiders Moneyline (+185)
My Raiders vs. Chiefs best bet is on Las Vegas moneyline, with the best price currently available at bet365. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Kansas City Chiefs vs Las Vegas Raiders Odds
| Chiefs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4 -110 | 36 -110o / -110u | -230 |
| Raiders Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4 -110 | 36 -110o / -110u | +185 |
Chiefs vs Raiders Preview for NFL Week 18
Let’s start with the number. The Chiefs are laying four points on the road with third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun after being two-touchdown underdogs at home to the Broncos just a few weeks ago.
That makes no sense, especially when you consider the Chiefs offense had just 130 total yards and averaged three yards per play last week. There’s no reason this line should be this high.
Both teams are in full-on tank or shutdown mode.
The Raiders may already have the No. 1 pick locked up before kickoff, depending on other results (Giants, Falcons, and a handful of other games).
Even if they don’t, there are multiple paths where their draft position is secure, so there’s less pressure to lose.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, have no incentive to win. They’d rather improve their own draft pick than hand the Raiders the first overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Expect Kansas City to rest almost all key veterans: Chris Jones, Xavier Worthy, and other notables shouldn’t see the field. The same goes for Vegas, who could easily shut down Geno Smith and anyone else worth protecting.
Chiefs vs Raiders Best Bets, Analysis
The floor for both teams is rock bottom. This could be the worst NFL game of the season.
The Chiefs offense has shown their floor is around 10-13 points, but the Raiders’ is anyone’s guess; they’ve had games with just three first downs, and were blown out recently by a tanking Giants squad.
Yet, the Raiders have also shown flashes, dominating Houston and New England on the road just a few weeks ago.
Don’t expect contract incentives to matter here. Last season, the Chiefs held out DeAndre Hopkins in a meaningless game, even when he was chasing an incentive. There’s no reason to think they’ll risk anyone’s health for a minor milestone now.
With both sides likely to rest everyone and motivation at an all-time low, this line is simply too high. Take the Raiders moneyline as home underdogs in what could be one of the ugliest games of the year.
Chiefs vs Raiders Betting Prediction
- Raiders Moneyline (+185)
Chiefs vs Raiders Weather Forecast
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