Commanders vs Chiefs Predictions: NFL Week 8 Monday Night Football Preview

Washington Commanders @ Kansas City Chiefs 

Line: Chiefs -10.5

Total: 47.5

 

Washington Commanders

We finish off the Week 8 slate with the Commanders traveling to Arrowhead. This is an interesting game, on one hand I think the Chiefs are the best team in football and on the other I’m still not sure if I agree with this line being 10.5 points. Washington will be playing this game without Jayden Daniels, but Marcus Mariota is a more than serviceable fill-in and they will have both Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel back for this game as well. Kansas City has operated as a run-funnel defense this season and been much more vulnerable on the ground vs through the air. With that being said, the Commanders should use Mariota’s legs in the run game along with their RB’s to extend long drives and keep Mahomes off the field. If they can successfully do that, they can keep this one close into the second half. I’m expecting a good game from the Commanders back-field as well as Zach Ertz over the middle of the field. Ertz is set up for a record-breaking night — he can become just the 6th TE ever with 800+ receptions by catching two passes this evening. 

 

Kansas City Chiefs

As I noted above, I have KC power rated number one in the NFL and I don’t see that changing the rest of the season barring insane injury luck. Even though I have KC number one, they closed as 11.5 point favorites over the Las Vegas Raiders last weekend at home – so I find it to be a bit of an overreaction to have them -10.5 tonight against a much better team. Mahomes played his first game with all of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown active vs the Raiders and he did not disappoint. He’s back to vintage form, and is the odds on favorite to win the NFL MVP award at +125. KC has no interest in running the ball with these WRs healthy, especially in the red zone which should only further his MVP case. You can find success through the air against Washington, especially deep down the field with them allowing the 7th highest average depth of target in the NFL. They also give up the 6th most YAC making this a great spot for both Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. Overall, I’m not expecting this KC offense to slow down any time soon. 

 

Touchdown Prediction: Xavier Worthy

Score Prediction: Chiefs 31, Commanders 20