Chiefs Tied With Buccaneers At Top of Super Bowl Odds After TNF Win Over Chargers

• Chiefs top Chargers in Thursday night OT thriller to vault into tie for top Super Bowl odds
• Los Angeles fades outside top-10 SB odds and a distant second in AFC West odds
• Check out the updated Super Bowl and AFC West odds after TNF

If someone wants to take the AFC West crown from the Kansas City Chiefs, they’re going to have to pry it from their cold, dead hands.

The Chiefs outlasted the Los Angeles Chargers with a 34-28 OT win on the road, extending their win streak to seven straight.

Even if they haven’t looked quite right all year, they’re still a monster and tied as the current favorite in the Super Bowl odds, as well as the  overwhelming betting favorite to again win the West in the NFL divisional odds.

2022 Super Bowl Odds

*Odds as of Dec. 16 from FanDuel.

Chiefs Overcome Chargers

Kansas City trailed 10-0, 21-13 and 28-21, and found a way to come back from all of those deficits to beat their division rivals.

Patrick Mahomes was the catalyst, finishing the game 31-for-47 for 410 yards and three touchdowns. It’s only the second time in his last eight games that he’s gone over 300+ yards passing.

MAHOMES ➡️ KELCE‼️

Chiefs win it in OT!

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/QypPIb4YKg

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 17, 2021

He bounced back from a brutal fourth down throw that would have been a TD to Mecole Hardman, and tossing a pick in the fourth quarter inside his five that led to a TD.

Mahomes connected with Tyreek Hill 12 times for 148 yards and a score, while hitting Kelce 10 times for 191 yards a pair of touchdowns, including the game winner.

Tyreek. Hill. HOW⁉️

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/qqifADJxI6

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 17, 2021

With the win, Kansas City pulls even with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and into the top betting position with odds of +500 to win the Super Bowl. On DraftKings, they’ve hopped ahead, sitting at +450.

Is that KC fastbreak offense back? It’s the first time they’ve scored 30+ points in back-to-back games since Weeks 1&2 of the NFL season.

The Chiefs Defense continues to dominate! Chiefs Offense takes over after this pick#TNFonFOX #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/8cmYOgr6aR

— 3rd and Forever (@3rd_forever10k) December 17, 2021

Maybe they might not need it. Their defense has appeared to hit their stride in the stretch run.

They did surrender 28 points in this one — nine more than they had in the previous three weeks, but they made crucial fourth down stops to stall two drives at the five yard line while forcing a fumble at the goal line in the fourth quarter.

Their value wasn’t there like when they were dipping midseason, but they’re a strong bet right now.

Lack of Execution

You can’t knock Brandon Staley and the Chargers for playing it conservative.

LA was 2-for-5 on fourth down tries in the game, but the missed conversions came at the expense of certain points. On the first series of the game, they moved to the KC five-yard line, but came away with no points.

#Chiefs Dan Sorensen ends the half with a crucial fourth down stop pic.twitter.com/mUMQSowsUt

— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladdtv) December 17, 2021

In their last possession of the half, the Chargers were again at the KC five and opted for a TD vs the three points, and they were again turned away.

In the third quarter, they passed on a 46-yard field goal try and couldn’t convert a 4th-and-2. In the fourth quarter, they did convert a fourth down try, and found themselves inside the Chiefs’ five yard line, but Joshua Kelley fumbled.

Joshua Kelley coughs it up at the goal line, and the Chiefs recover! Tershawn Wharton knocked the ball out, and the Chargers red zone woes continue #ChiefsKingdom #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/4bIpn0nKDp

— Pro Football Culture (@proftblculture) December 17, 2021

The Chargers’ Super Bowl odds take a dive, falling from +2100 odds to start the week, down to +3000.

Justin Herbert didn’t look great, throwing for 236 yards, his lowest total since Week 10, along with two TD’s and an interception, while running for a score, but he kept his team in it.

While there might be better options, taking a flier on LA wouldn’t be the worst wager you could make.

AFC West Odds

*Odds as of Dec. 16 from DraftKings.

How the West Can Be Won

After starting the week as the betting favorite at -250 odds to win the AFC West, Kansas City is now 10-4, with a solid 4-1 mark in the division and the runaway favorite.

This wasn’t a foregone conclusion, either: KC had to beat Denver in Week 13 and the Chargers in Week 15 in games that could have swung the division chase — and they rolled.

69 yards to Kelce + Hill TD + 2-point conversion = tie game! 🤩pic.twitter.com/om0DT2Yb2O

— FOX Bet Sportsbook (@FOXBet) December 17, 2021

There’s not much drama left. The Chiefs are in the driver’s seat, and thinking far more than AFC West crown — there’s a top seed in the conference which comes with the only first round bye still available.

Unless you’re a big believer in collapses, or the Chargers and Broncos, there’s little value to wager in this category.