Week 17 Predictions: All Bengals Staff Makes Picks for Sunday's Game Against Chiefs

CINCINNATI — The Bengals play the Chiefs on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. They can clinch their first AFC North title since 2015 with a win.

Will they pull off the upset?

The All Bengals team made our predictions for the matchup. Check them out below!

Elise Jesse, All Bengals Insider

Season Record: 7-8

After starting the year 3-4, the Chiefs have shown their resilience storming back into playoff favor with 8-straight wins on their way to a sixth straight AFC West title.

Cincinnati’s home finale has now become one of the premiere games to watch around the league. If I’m Chiefs’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, I’m not sleeping this week knowing how much work and preparation it will take to stop the Bengals explosive and healthy offensive unit.

In order to win Sunday, Lou Anarumo will be challenged to prepare his men to stop a Kansas City offense who in their last three games have scored an average of 39.3 points per game. They also get Bearcats product Travis Kelce back from the COVID reserve list this week.

We should see a ton of explosive plays. I think it will come down to who wins the turnover battle, and I’m going to go bold here and say it comes down to a field goal from Evan McPherson to win it in overtime.

Prediction: Bengals 27, Chiefs 24

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Russ Heltman, All Bengals Contributor

Season Record: 5-10

The big-game feel is back at Paul Brown Stadium after a five-year hibernation. They're one away from being AFC North champions.

Those are the stakes for Cincinnati and a player in Burrow who is playing as well as any quarterback this season besides Aaron Rodgers. On the year, Burrow is second to the reigning MVP in EPA per pass attempt and ranks ninth in overall EPA per play. I expected a year-two leap, but this is insane, and it continues on Sunday.

The LSU product built his skillset for these moments. I'm a big stats guy, but you can't quantify the confidence Burrow has heading into games like this one. The Chiefs are riding an eight-game win streak, but the magic is back. Burrow faces pressure at a ridiculous rate for how well he's performing. He's the only quarterback in the NFL that's been sacked 35-plus times and has a 90-plus passer rating.

Kansas City is the best team in the NFL right now—ranking first in EPA over the past six weeks—but Burrow will show he's the best player on the field and lead the most confident Bengals team of my life to another huge home win.

Prediction: Bengals 34, Chiefs 31

Nicole Zembrodt, All Bengals Contributor

Season Record: 7-8

This game has the makings to be an explosive offensive show. Cincinnati's offense can go toe-to-toe with Mahomes and company. Both pass defenses rank near the end of the NFL giving up big plays. The Bengals have given up the third-most passes of 20-plus yards (58), while Kansas City has allowed 44 passes of 20 or more yards and 11 of 40-plus yards.

Although the contest is likely to come down to the arms of Burrow and Mahomes, Joe Mixon could very well be the x-factor in this game. The Chiefs are surrendering an average of 116.5 ground yards per game and 4.7 yards per attempt.

A balanced attack has been the foundation of the Cincinnati offense this season. In the midst of Burrow’s record day last week, Mixon still tallied 65 rushing yards. Paul Brown Stadium will be a playoff atmosphere Sunday, but the Chiefs will pick up the win, leaving Week 18 a must-win for the Bengals.

Prediction: Chiefs 35, Bengals 31

Blake Jewell, All Bengals Contributor

Season Record: 9-6

As we saw last week, Burrow is an elite quarterback in this league. I expect the Bengals to ride with him this week to match the Chiefs offense. This is a different Cincinnati team. I think they're more than capable of matching up with the top teams in the NFL.

Prediction: Bengals 31, Chiefs 30

Mike Santagata, All Bengals Film Analyst

Season Record: 8-7

The Cincinnati Bengals absolutely decimated the Baltimore Ravens, but now they face a much more difficult opponent in the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs are possibly the hottest team in the National Football League led by the best quarterback in the league. This is made more difficult because the Bengals may have to take on this scorching offense.

Not only do they have to face a tough offense, but suddenly the Chiefs defense is also very good. Chris Jones, Frank Clark, and Melvin Ingram make up a fearsome pass rush. The Bengals offensive line has declined over the past few weeks in terms of play and personnel since the injury of Riley Reiff. It's possible that Burrow and the talented quartet of weapons at his disposal are able to play hero ball and come away with the win, but I think the Bengals fall short.

Prediction: Chiefs 34, Bengals 27

Lindsay Patterson, All Bengals Reporter

Season Record: 5-2

The Bengals have a shot to return to the playoffs and be crowned division champions on Sunday—surprising and shocking the NFL predictions from the start of the 2021 season. This game was going to be big, because Patrick Mahomes would be on the field little did we know that it would be this huge and Joe Burrow would be playing like a top five quarterback and the 2021 comeback player of the year.

It's easy to look back on the Bengals schedule and say "what if" when it comes to some of the losses and the biggest reason they fell was they were turning the ball over.

When looking at this game it isn't about stopping Travis Kelce for me, mainly because he is going to get his and the Chiefs offense is always difficult to stop.

The good news is D.J. Reader, Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson could be pm the field. Mahomes is going to make plays and put up points, but I like the Bengals offense and skill-players more than Kansas City's. Burrow cut down on his interceptions over the last three weeks and he admitted he can't play hero, but I still think they can match Kansas City if Burrow can cook. Tee Higgins is playing like a WR1. Chase deep is there and balances on the ground with Mixon.

The difference-maker could be Kansas City's defensive line. They should apply pressure on Burrow and force turnovers. I think this has a shot at being a classic at Paul Brown Stadium for both offenses, but the Chiefs are playing like the best team in the AFC. Maybe we will see a re-match in the playoffs, but this time around I'm taking Kansas City.

Prediction: Chiefs 38, Bengals 31

James Rapien, All Bengals Publisher

Season Record: 8-7

The Bengals have the talent to have the best offense in the AFC, but I have two concerns about this matchup. Will Zac Taylor be able to out-coach Andy Reid in a close game and will Cincinnati's offensive line hold up?

Burrow will have a big day, but Mahomes and company make one too many plays in a shootout at Paul Brown Stadium.

Prediction: Chiefs 41, Bengals 34

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