Seahawks vs Chiefs Prediction & Picks: Will Kansas City extend Seattle’s late-season slide?

With a seventh straight AFC West title wrapped up, the Kansas City Chiefs will look to continue their pursuit of the AFC’s #1 seed this week as they host the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday afternoon.

The matchup between the Seahawks (7-7, 4-3 away) and Chiefs (11-3, 5-1 home) is one of Saturday’s eight 1:00 pm ET (12:00 pm CT) games, and it will be televised on FOX.

On Sunday, the Chiefs secured the AFC West crown, as well as a top-three playoff seed, with a 30-24 overtime win in Houston.

It wasn’t a pretty game for Kansas City, but Jerick McKinnon won it with 5:13 left in OT with a 26-yard touchdown run, which came one play after a fumble by Texans QB Davis Mills.

Jerick McKinnon walks it off in OT! #KCvsHOU pic.twitter.com/A9vIUencOb

— NFL (@NFL) December 18, 2022

Entering Week 16, the Chiefs are tied with the Buffalo Bills for the best record in the AFC, but they need the Bills to have a worse finish down the stretch due to Buffalo’s Week 6 win in Kansas City.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, are just hoping to get an invite to the playoff party. After last Thursday’s 21-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, their fourth loss in their last five games, things are not looking good for Seattle, who is eighth in the NFC with three games remaining.

Can they somehow pick up a valuable win at Arrowhead? Read on for our Seahawks vs Chiefs prediction, along with our Seattle vs Kansas City picks.

Seattle Seahawks vs Kansas City Chiefs Odds

Early Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Tuesday, December 20, 2022, at 1:10 pm ET. Odds from our other recommended legal sports betting sites may also appear in this article.

Spread

• Seattle Seahawks +9.5 (-110)
• Kansas City Chiefs -9.5 (-110)

Over/Under

• Over 48.5 (-106)
• Under 48.5 (-114)

Moneyline

• Seattle Seahawks +350
• Kansas City Chiefs -460

Is Saturday’s Game a Must-Win for Seattle?

That the Seahawks are even in the playoff conversation with three weeks left is a big overachievement given how they were expected to do this season.

But after being 6-3 and on top of the NFC West through nine games, falling short of the postseason would be a major disappointment.

It’s entirely possible that they could make the playoffs even if they lose on Saturday, as their last two games are winnable home games against the New York Jets and Los Angeles Rams.

The 8-5-1 Giants, who finish with the Vikings (away), Colts (home), and Eagles (away), while the 7-6-1 Commanders close out with the 49ers (away), Browns (home), and Cowboys (home).

The Detroit Lions (7-7) and Green Bay Packers (6-8) are also still in the mix, but both of those teams are also hoping for slip-ups ahead of them.

It would significantly help Seattle’s cause to somehow pull out a win against Kansas City, but it won’t be disastrous if the game plays out as it is expected to.

Can the Seahawks Get Going on the Ground?

To have a chance of pulling off the upset, one key for Seattle will be getting more out of the ground game than it has produced in recent weeks.

In their last five games, the Seahawks have just 310 rushing yards (62 yards per game) and two touchdowns on 87 carries (3.6 yards per carry). In last week’s loss to the 49ers, they averaged five yards per carry but had only 14 carries.

Just as much as Seattle could benefit from more balance, they could also benefit from slowing things down on the ground defensively.

In this same stretch, they have allowed 1008 rushing yards (201.6 yards per game) and eight touchdowns on 197 carries (5.1 yards per carry). Against the Texans, the Chiefs tied a season high with 189 rushing yards and averaged 5.7 yards per carry.

The Seahawks also aren’t harassing opposing quarterbacks enough. In a four-game win streak from Weeks 6-9, they had 19 sacks. In their last five games, they have eight sacks, four of which came in their Week 13 win over the Rams, who have allowed a league-worst 51 sacks this season.

Seattle Seahawks vs Kansas City Chiefs Prediction and Picks

Seahawks vs Chiefs Prediction: Chiefs to win

Seahawks vs Chiefs Picks: Chiefs to cover in the first half (Best Value: -5.5 @ -108 at BetUS) & Chiefs/Seahawks over (Best Value: over 48.5 @ -106 at BetOnline)

The Chiefs have cut things way too close in their last two games, but there is nothing in Seattle’s play recently that indicates that they will go to Kansas City and leave with a win.

They aren’t producing enough offensively, and their defense has not been up to the task either.

The Chiefs are just 3-10-1 ATS this season, and the Seahawks have only one double-digit loss this season, which came in Week 2 at San Francisco.

But I think that back-to-back close calls will not rest well with the Chiefs, and they will be out to put in a more complete 60 minutes against Seattle. That said, I feel more secure in backing the first half spread as opposed to the full game spread.

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