It’s Year 2 of the Andy Reid era in Kansas City and there is renewed optimism among Chiefs fans that their team is ready to make another playoff push this season. What Reid did to transform the fortunes of Kansas City last season is the exact same thing the Titans are hoping they will get from their new coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Can Whisenhunt provide the perfect start for the Titans, who are desperate to make the playoffs for the first time in six years? Or will Andy Reid build on the momentum from last season and inspire the Chiefs to an opening home victory? Read on for a preview of this game and while you’re at it check out our NFL season and win total predictions as we get set for the start of a brand new football season.
[sc:Football ]Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1:00 PM ET)
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
When: Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Tennessee Titans (+4.5) at Kansas City Chiefs (-4.5); total: 44.0 – see all NFL lines
Betting on the Tennessee Titans
After three years of utter disappointment under head coach Mike Munchak, during which he led the Titans to a 22-26 record with no playoff appearances, upper management decided that it was time for the club to turn a new chapter as they acquired the services of Ken Whisenhunt as their new head coach.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Whisenhunt comes with Super Bowl experience, having guided the Cardinals to a spot in Super Bowl XLIII. He also has the knack of giving new life to the careers of quarterbacks like Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, Arizona’s Kurt Warner and San Diego’s Philip Rivers.
Now he brings his knowledge and expertise to Tennessee where he is expected to guide and mold the career of starting QB Jake Locker.
Locker went through an injury-plagued season in 2013, completing 60.7 percent of his passes for just 1,256 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Through three seasons, Locker has only played 23 games for the club.
Through three preseason games, Locker is 21-of-30 for 268 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. A revitalized Locker will be good news for the Titans, who finished just 21st last year in the NFL in passing yards with a 218.5 average.
That will be good news as well for rookie running back Bishop Sankey, who has big shoes to fill this season with the departure of Chris Johnson. Sankey will team up this year with offseason signing Dexter McCluster, as they will carry the cudgels for a running attack that will be employing a by-committee approach this season.
The Titans finished last season with a 7-9 record, but they did better covering the spread especially in their away games, going 5-2-1 ATS on the road.
Betting on the Kansas City Chiefs
Expectations are high in Kansas City that the Chiefs are now primed for a major breakthrough after their unexpected turnaround last season. The Chiefs, who finished bottom in the AFC West in 2011 and 2012, surprised a lot of people by finishing second to the Denver Broncos in the division with an 11-5 slate.
Kansas City outscored their opponents 430 to 305 with their plus-18 turnover differential playing a huge part in their success last season. Starting QB Alex Smith was efficient, throwing the fewest interceptions (7) among all starting quarterbacks in the league in 2013.
Smith excelled in his first year with the Chiefs, posting a career-best 220.9 passing yards-per-game average last year.
Jamaal Charles was a beneficiary of Smith’s arrival to the club, receiving a career-best 693 yards last season. Charles, who is the NFL’s all-time leader in career yards-per-carry average among running backs with a 5.79 YPC clip, has managed to bring a new dimension to his game and will definitely boost the fortunes of the Chiefs this season.
With fellow Pro Bowlers safety Eric Berry, Justin Houston, linebackers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali and defensive tackle Dontari Poe all returning as well, the Chiefs are primed for another big year.
They have a good chance of starting the season strongly, especially with the way they have handled Tennessee recently. The Chiefs are 7-3 in their last 10 meetings with the Titans. They have lost their last three games at Arrowhead Stadium, however.
Writer’s Prediction
The Chiefs (-4.5) will open the season with a resounding victory over the Titans. Create a betting account now and cash in on the opening games of the new NFL season.
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