Week 1: Arizona Cardinals vs Kansas City Chiefs 9/11/22 NFL Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs duke it out Sunday in a week 1 NFL contest from State Farm Stadium.

The Kansas City Chiefs come into the 2022 season looking to build on their solid 2021 campaign where KC finished 12-5 overall, winning the AFC West division title for the sixth straight season. The Chiefs would take out Pittsburgh in the wild card round and Buffalo in the divisional round in OT, making their fourth straight AFC title game, but they lost to Cincinnati in overtime. Patrick Mahomes will be back in the fold for KC, throwing for 4,000+ yards for the 4^th straight season with 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last season. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is back to lead the Chiefs’ running back group and the Chiefs will be without Tyreek Hill after dealing him to Miami, but still have a solid receiving corps with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman at the top of the chain. Travis Kelce is still the top option at tight end as one of the NFL’s best as well at the position, logging 1,125 yards and 9 touchdowns last season. On defense, Chris Jones leads the Chiefs’ pass rush while Nick Bolton and Willie Gay headman the linebackers and L’Jarius Sneed, Trent Mcduffie and Justin Reid lead the secondary for the Chiefs.

The Arizona Cardinals will hope to carry over some success from 2021 after finishing 11-6 last year and making the playoffs for the first time since 2015 and also making the playoffs for the first time in the Kliff Kingsbury era. The Cards started 7-0 before backing into the postseason and the stay was short for Arizona as they were bounced in the wild card round by the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. Kyler Murray is back in the fold after signing an extension following a 2021 season where he threw for 3,787 yards, 24 TDs and 10 picks. James Conner’s also back after leading the Cardinals’ ground attack but the receiving corps got stronger with the addition of Marquise Brown to compliment DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green and co. Defensively, J.J. Watt leads the charge up front while Markus Golden, Devon Kennard and Nick Vigil are among the experienced pieces in Arizona’s linebacking group and Byron Murphy and Budda Baker anchor the Cardinals’ secondary.

Kansas City is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 week 1 matchups and 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall while the over is 4-0 in their last 4 road games. Arizona is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall while the over is 5-2 in their last 7 games as a home underdog.

I get the case to be made for either side in this game, but I’m on the over here. These are two of the more explosive offensive units in the NFL and I think they’re coming out to put on a clinic from the opening kickoff of the season. I wouldn’t be surprised if both teams hit 30 in this game, so give me the over. Get your popcorn ready.