And just like that, the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs look like they should be the betting favorites to win the Super Bowl all over again.
Winning in bunches has that effect. And Kansas City enters Week 8 of the 2023 NFL season looking for their seventh consecutive victory. To get it, they’ll need to go through the Denver Broncos, on Sunday, October 29, at 4:25 p.m. eastern standard time, on the Empower Field at Mile High Stadium, in Denver, Colorado. As you can see from the latest latest NFL online betting odds, linemakers are far and away expecting the Chiefs to improve to 7-1 on the season:
Like always, please remember to double-check these online NFL betting odds right up until you submit your wager. Our Chiefs vs Broncos Week 8 betting odds are accurate entering Tuesday, October 24. That gives the best NFL online betting sites more than enough time to make adjustments based on how the wagering market pans in advance of opening kick-off.
It comes as no surprise, of course, that Kansas City is heavily favored to take down Denver. At the same time, the Broncos have displayed a knack for keeping games close, even against upper-crust opponents such as the Chiefs. Denver also happens to be working off a Week 7 victory over the Green Bay Packers and enjoying their second straight game at home. Could they throw Kansas City’s current winning streak for a curveball? Let’s get into it!
The Kansas City Chiefs Have an Air of Inevitability Once Again
Despite boasting one of the NFL’s top records, the Chiefs lacked a trademark victory entering Week 7. And then they faced the Los Angeles Chargers, who they beat 31-17, while Patrick Mahomes racked up 418 passing yards and the defense forced two turnovers. It was a victory indicative of who everyone thought Kansas City would be all season: not just good or great, but dominant.
Still, the awkwardness of previous victories looms. The Chiefs sixth in points scored and third in points allowed, yet they now only have two victories coming by more than 11 points. Four of their wins, to be fair, have come by more than a touchdown. But when you measure the relative closeness of so many of their games, you cannot help other than to be a little unnerved.
Let’s also not forget the Chiefs barely beat the Broncos, at home, in Week 6. Denver’s defense may rank 31st in points allowed per game, but they have now allowed a combined 27 points over the past two weeks. They also continue to rank in the top six of both touchdowns allowed and interceptions forced.
Nevertheless, the Chiefs seem to be settling into their own. Mahomes is completing deeper passes more often, and Kansas City has one of the five or six best passing defenses in the entire league. The latter is terrible news for a Broncos team that struggles to move the ball through the air no matter who they are facing. Denver is 22nd in total passing yards and 27th in total attempts, which shows a lack of faith in Russell Wilson’s decision-making through the air.
Fortunately for the Broncos, their rushing game has often held up well. The Chiefs do not exactly thrive at containment. But we believe it’ll be a different story against a passing offense that doesn’t engender much rival fear. Indeed, the Broncos field one of the league’s worst red zone offenses to date. They’ll be hard-pressed to put up points on Sunday no matter how they plan to attack Kansas City.
OSB Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs (-390)
The Chiefs vs. Broncos Point Spread is Moving in Denver’s Direction
While the Chiefs opened as 8.5-point favorites against the Broncos, the line has since moved, as you can see below:
- Kansas City Chiefs, -7.5 (-115)
- Denver Broncos, 7.5 (-105)
That one-point difference may not seem like a lot. And it’s not. But four of the Broncos’ first seven games have been determined by three or fewer points, so the extra cushion matters.
Poor second-half performances have dogged Denver much of this season. They have delivered ticky-tack penalties or just been caught sleeping. It is still tempting to bet on them to cover against the Chiefs. Something about the way they play just allows them to hang around.
In the end, we can’t get there. Even when Denver turned the Week 5 meeting between these two teams into a snail-paced affair, the Chiefs still managed to cover a 10.5-point spread. Second meetings typically favor the underdogs, who have had more time to scout their opponent. But the Broncos didn’t get the best version of Kansas City then. That 19-8 loss may represent their best-case outcome in this matchup.
OSB Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs, -7.5 (-115)
Are the Over/Under Lines Missing the Mark in Denver vs. Kansas City
We did a double-take when we saw the over/under betting lines for Chiefs vs. Broncos. Perhaps you will, too:
- Over 46 (-115)
- Under 46 (-105)
This line has actually moved up from the initial release of 45.5. We’re a tad taken aback.
Yes, the Chiefs can hang 30-plus points on any given opponent—just like they did last week versus the Chargers. But that was just their second 30-plus-point outing of the season. And with an international game looming in Week 9, we can’t help but wonder whether Kansas City might take their foot off the throttle a little now.
Failing that, the Broncos defense can still be pesky. Losing Kareem Jackson to suspension for this game will hurt the secondary, but this team’s potential to force a smatter of turnovers remains intact.
Finally, even if you don’t trust the Broncos defense, you should display that same distrust in their offense. Denver has scored more than 20 points just twice since Week 2. There’s no guarantee they hold up their end of the “over” bargain.
OSB Prediction: Under 46 (-105)
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