The Kansas City Chiefs are once again favored to win in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals, following changes in the betting line due to the injury status of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes, who suffered a high ankle sprain during the previous game, has been listed as a full participant in practice this week, leading to shifts in the betting line and solidifying the Chiefs as the favorites.
The point spread for the AFC Championship Game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals has settled with the Chiefs listed as 1.5-point favorites.
The line had fluctuated throughout the week, with changes in the status of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ ankle causing shifts in betting.
Mahomes, who was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, is expected to start in the game. Early in the week, the Bengals attracted the majority of bets, causing them to briefly become the betting favorite. However, the line settled with the Chiefs as favorites.
After much speculation and uncertainty, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed on Friday that quarterback Patrick Mahomes will start in the team’s AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Mahomes had been listed as a full participant in practice throughout the week despite an ankle injury, leading many to believe that he would take the field. The confirmation of Mahomes’ starting role comes as a relief to fans who had been closely monitoring his status following his injury in the team’s previous game.
Head Coach Andy Reid confirmed “He’s moving around. He can go out and play.”
Reid continued: “We have enough in the game plan where you can kind of pick and choose where you want to go with it,” he said. “You have a variety of things that you can go to. Obviously you don’t use all the plays in the game plan, but they’re available and so if you have to go a certain direction, you can go that direction with the calls.”
Mahomes was quoted this week saying “I feel like I can still do a lot of things but we’ll see as we get closer and closer, we’ll see during the game. You can’t fully do exactly what it’s going to be like in those moments in the game. All I can do is prepare myself the best way possible and then when we get in the game you hope adrenaline takes over and you can make those throws when you need to.”
The Bengals have beaten the Chiefs three times in a row, including last year’s AFC Championship. Can they make it four?