Chiefs vs. Seahawks: Score Prediction, Injury Update For Huge Sunday Night Matchup

Perhaps the biggest game of Week 16 is on Sunday night, with the Kansas City Chiefs (11-3) traveling to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Seattle Seahawks (8-6). Both teams need to win to improve their lot in the playoffs, and with the Seahawks’ famous homefield advantage, one would think they would be favored in this matchup.

However, the Chiefs are actually 2.5-point road favorites. Kansas City needs to win and get a bit of help to secure the AFC’s top seed, while Seattle needs to win and get help to even make the playoffs.

On paper, this is a tough contest for the Chiefs. The Seahawks come into the game with the NFL’s top rushing offense, while the Chiefs’ defense has had trouble stopping much of anything all season.

However, Seattle’s defense could have trouble containing Kansas City, something no team has truly done all year. The Chiefs have been held under 30 points just four times, and they are 3-1 in those games. The Seahawks have the 20th-ranked pass defense in the NFL, which is not a recipe for success against the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce.

Both teams are hobbled by injuries. The Chiefs could be without starters Sammy Watkins and Kendall Fuller, while star safety Eric Berry might still be on a limited snap count. A whopping 10 players, eight of whom have started this year, missed practice for the Seahawks on Wednesday. That list included Doug Baldwin, Frank Clark, Rashaad Penny and D.J. Fluker.

Prediction: The Seahawks are desperate and have one of the loudest home crowds in sports. However, they have struggled against winning teams this year, already losing twice at home to a pair of 11-3 teams in the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. It is fair to wonder if they can win a shootout, which is how the Chiefs tend to operate.

Chiefs win, 31-24