The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs are off to a 4-0 start, but they’ve lost two key players to long-term injuries. The Chiefs will play host to the New Orleans Saints (2-2) at Arrowhead Stadium in a Monday Night Football matchup to cap NFL Week 5 action.
The Chiefs are favored by 5.5 points on the spread at most books, and the Saints are getting +190 odds on the moneyline. The over/under line sits at 42 total points.
Rashee Rice suffered a serious knee injury last Sunday and will be out in Week 5, if not for the majority of the rest of the season. Isiah Pacheco (fibula) is on injured reserve, and the Chiefs handed lead back duties to Kareem Hunt during their 17-10 win over the Chargers last week.
The Saints placed starting center Erik McCoy (groin) on IR and might be without Taysom Hill (ribs) this week. Alvin Kamara (hip) and Chris Olave (hamstring) played through their respective injuries in a 26-24 loss in Atlanta last week.
Below, we’ll go over the betting lines and odds for this non-conference matchup and present a case for both sides. If you are located in MO, and are looking for MO sportsbook promos, check out our page.
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Chiefs favored over the Saints ahead of Monday Night Football matchup
How Kansas City could win and cover the spread
Derek Carr has generally thrived this season under Klint Kubiak, but he has a long history of struggling when the opposition creates pressure up the middle. Chris Jones and Co. could disrupt Carr’s throwing pocket and slow down a Saints’ offense that has struggled to finish drives when Taysom Hill — who is questionable after missing Week 3 — is inactive.
Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid have a stellar track record that would suggest their teams’ red zone struggles are fleeting. Kareem Hunt looks like a reliable and forceful option in the running game, and the Kansas City Chiefs have a major advantage with their interior offensive line.
How New Orleans could cover the spread or win
While the New Orleans Saints have come back to earth after blowing out their first two opponents, their last two losses have been extremely close. They still lead the NFL in points per game (31.8) and rank second in third-down conversion rate (53.2%), an area where the Chiefs happen to have struggled so far this season.
Mahomes hasn’t played up to his lofty standards, and he’s going to be missing his most reliable playmaker in Rice. The Saints’ defense leads the NFL in opponents’ touchdown conversion rate (22.2%) in the red zone, and the Chiefs are only scoring touchdowns on 45.5% of their red zone possessions. The strength of Kansas City’s defense is on the interior defensive line, and the Saints run a lot of outside zone with Alvin Kamara.
