NFL Week 12 Picks: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders
Thursday, 11/20/14, 8:25 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: Kansas City -7
Current Betting Line: Kansas City -7
Opening Total: 43
Current Total: 42.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

Broncos vs. Chiefs NFL Preview — The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to win their sixth consecutive game Thursday night

Kansas City has put together a nice 5-0 SUATS run in its last five games, which includes a 24-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks as one-point home underdogs last week, while going OVER the betting total for the first time in six contests. The Chiefs have performed at a high level defensively for most of the year despite not having the services of linebacker Derrick Johnson, which can’t be ignored when looking over the NFL betting lines, as they’ve allowed 20 or fewer points in each of their last five victories. Kansas City is 8-1 SU and 6-3 ATS as favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points since the start of the 2012 campaign.

The Chiefs are eighth in the league in surrendering just 326.0 yards per game, which is important to consider when making your Week 12 NFL betting picks, as that number includes just 201.6 through the air. Kansas City will look to get the ball into the hands of star running back Jamaal Charles early and often, as he’s coming off a season-high 159-yard rushing performance last time out.

Oakland has lost 16 consecutive games dating back to last season, but it’s important to point out that the squad has covered half of its 10 losses this year. The Raiders will need to continue protecting signal-caller Derek Carr, as the offensive line has allowed just 12 sacks on the year, but the unit still ranks last by a wide margin in terms of total yards gained. Oakland is 2-21 SU and 9-14 ATS as underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points the last two-plus seasons, with the UNDER going 15-8 in those 23 opportunities.

The Raiders have struggled to stop opposing teams from running the football, as they rank 27th in allowing 129.8 yards per game in that all-important statistical category. Oakland just take care of the ball with Carr under center in hopes of winning its first game of the season, but it has turned it over 20 times through 10 affairs.