With all due respect to the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, the most anticipated non-divisional clash in Week 13 sees the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Cincinnati Bengals.
It had the potential to be the best game of the season even before news that Ja’Marr Chase is expected to make his return to the Bengals roster after missing the last four games with a hip injury.
The Bengals (7-4) have won three in a row and five of their last six to pull into a first-place tie with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North.
The Chiefs (9-2) have won five straight, mostly against tough opponents, and along with being at the top of most NFL power rankings, they are the betting odds favourite to win the Super Bowl.
At BetOnline this week, they top the board at 17/4, just ahead of the Buffalo Bills (9/2), Philadelphia Eagles (11/2), San Francisco 49ers (23/4) and Dallas Cowboys (9/11).
As such, the Chiefs will also the favourites – anywhere between 2-to-3 points – when the visit Paul Brown Stadium for Sunday’s 4:25 p.m. (EDT) start.
As good as the Chiefs are, it can be argued that the Bengals have their number.
Cincinnati has won five of the last six meetings between the teams, including both games last year by a combined six points.
The most recent was the AFC championship game at Arrowhead on Jan. 30, which the Chiefs led by 18 points in the second quarter but wound up losing 27-24 in overtime.
The Chiefs also lost 34-31 earlier that month in Cincinnati.
In that Week 17 game, Chase caught 11 of 12 targets for 266 yards and three touchdowns.
It’s certainly conceivable he could swing the result the Bengals way this week.
-Don Brennan
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