Here is who national experts are predicting will win Chiefs-Falcons game
It’s been a stressful year, but the Chiefs can begin 2021 in a relaxing manner. A win Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons can ensure that.
If the Chiefs beat Atlanta, they will lock up the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and earn the conference’s lone postseason bye. It will also mean next week’s game against the Chargers won’t have any postseason implications.
The NFL pundits think the Chiefs will get the job done Sunday.
Here is what 48 national experts are saying about the game, which kicks off at noon and will be broadcast on Fox (Ch. 4).
The Chiefs will win 34-20 is the prediction from Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com. This is what he wrote: “The Chiefs haven’t posted a two-score win since they stomped the Jets in Week 8. The Falcons have been competitive in every Raheem Morris-coached game this season. These streaks are long overdue to end.”
A 35-23 Chiefs victory is the pick for the Sporting News’ Bill Bender. This is an excerpt of what he wrote: “Atlanta ranks 31st in the NFL in pass defense at 287.7 (yards) per game. Patrick Mahomes II continues his MVP-caliber season.”
The Chiefs will win, say both Mike Florio and Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Smith thinks it’ll be a 34-21 score. He wrote in part: “The Falcons have played competitive football in a hopeless cause for interim head coach Raheem Morris, which might earn Morris the coaching job on a permanent basis. But they’re not playing at a level that would have me picking them to win in Kansas City.” Florio predicted a 37-30 score and wrote: “The best time to beat the Chiefs is when they least expect it. They won’t expect it this week, and so maybe it will at least be close.”
A 38-30 Chiefs win is the prediction from Yardbarker’s Chris Mueller. This is an excerpt of what he wrote: “The Chiefs did what they do against New Orleans; show themselves to be unstoppable for stretches, only to allow an opponent back in the game, before closing the door in the end. That’s a nasty little habit, to be sure, but it’s hard to say that it will come back to bite them because they’ve been doing it since last season.”
Each of the eight CBS Sports writers think the Chiefs will win: Jason La Canfora, Pete Prisco, John Breech, Will Brinson, Ryan Wilson, Jared Dubin, Dave Richard and Jamey Eisenberg. Prisco sees a 37-24 score. This is part of what he wrote: “The Falcons have blown a lot of big leads in games, but that won’t be the case here. They won’t lead by much — if at all. Look for Patrick Mahomes to light up the Falcons. Blowout.”
All nine experts at ESPN see the Chiefs winning: Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Dan Graziano, Mina Kimes, Jason Reid, Laura Rutledge, Kevin Seifert, Damien Woody and Seth Wickersham.
The seven writers at USA Today think the Chiefs will win: Jarrett Bell (38-24 final score), Nate Davis (33-23), Jori Epstein (33-24), Mike Jones (33-27), Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz (38-23), Lorenzo Reyes (31-23) and Tom Schad (35-30).
All six writers at Sports Illustrated Monday Morning Quarterback see a Chiefs win: Gary Gramling, Mitch Goldic, Albert Breer, Jenny Vrentas, Andrew Brandt and Conor Orr.
The 10 members of the Dallas Morning-News picked the Chiefs: Tim Cowlishaw, Michael Gehlken, Dana Larson, Damon Marx, Craig Miller, David Moore, John Owing, Newy Scruggs, Kevin Sherrington and Calvin Watkins.
The three writers at Athlon Sports picked a Chiefs win: Rob Doster, Bryan Fischer and Ben Weinrib.
