Jaguars vs. Chiefs: Odds and Prediction for Divisional Round of Playoffs

The Jacksonville Jaguars keep exceeding expectations. After finishing 9-7 in the regular season and winning the AFC South, they overcame a 27-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-30 in Super Wild Card Weekend. Next, the Jags will take on the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the 2022 NFL Playoffs.

These teams already faced off against each other in Week 10, with the Chiefs winning 27-17. However, Jacksonville is playing much better. In fact, they’re riding a six-game winning streak dating back to Week 14, when they beat the Tennessee Titans, so even though the game will be held at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City can’t afford to take the Jaguars likely.

Also, the stakes are higher now. Whoever wins will advance to the Conference Championship, so the Jaguars will need to bring their A-game if they don’t want to come away empty-handed. With that in mind, here are the odds, the spread, and a score prediction for the divisional round of the playoffs.

Jaguars vs. Chiefs Odds and Spread for the Divisional Round of the Playoffs

The Jags are an 8.5-point underdog with a moneyline of +345, per BetMGM. Bet $100 on them and win $345 for a total payout of $465 if they beat Kansas City. The Chiefs’ moneyline is -425. Place a wager of $425 on Kansas City and win $100 for a total payout of $525. The over/under for the game is 51.5 points.

Jaguars vs. Chiefs Final Score Prediction

One of the biggest reasons the Jags got where they are is their ability to come back from large deficits. Their win over the Bolts marked the third time they were trailing by 17 points or more but managed to bounce back and win. They did it against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9 and later against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15. Simply, no lead is safe against them.

Having said that, the Chiefs are the cream of the crop in the NFL, and beating them requires nearly flawless execution. Back in Week 9, the Jags had a +3 turnover margin but still lost the game. Head coach Doug Pederson met with the local media Monday and said the Jags will need to play much better than they did in their first bout if they want to come on top.

The Jaguars have exceeded expectations and Pederson has experience coaching in the playoffs, having helped the Philadelphia Eagles win Super Bowl 52. On the other hand, the Chiefs had the best offense in the league in 2022 and Andy Reid’s coaching acumen rivals that of Pederson. For that reason, it’s hard to pick a winner.

The Chiefs will have home-field advantage, which in theory should give him the edge. Then again, the Jags have shown the ability to win tough games even when conditions aren’t optimal. Also, Trevor Lawrence is coming off a historic performance and if he can avoid the kind of mistakes he made early on against the Chargers, Jacksonville will have a shot at advancing to the divisional round.

Final score: Jaguars 27- Chiefs 24