2023 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 17

Cincinnati Bengals (8-7) @ Kansas City Chiefs (9-6)

Sunday, December 31, 4:25 PM ET

I think it’s safe to say this Kansas City Chiefs team is officially reeling.

It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me…

Off-the-field stories aside, the Chiefs have not looked anything like the same team that won the Super Bowl last year, even with seemingly an improved defense. An upset on Christmas Day by the Las Vegas Raiders not only kept the Raiders in the playoff hunt, but handed the Chiefs their sixth loss of the year.

Six losses in a season for a Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs team? I mean, what’s going on in Kansas City?

I guess the Chiefs are lucky this week’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals doesn’t involve Joe Burrow, right? The Bengals have proven they are still capable of hanging with some good teams with Jake Browning at the helm of the offense, but for the purposes of NFL picks and score predictions, you can’t help but err on the side of caution and predict the Chiefs to win this one, right?

This is a game the Chiefs now need to win not only for improving their playoff standing but also just to prove that they’ve still “got it”, right?

Prediction: Chiefs win 24-20