To no one’s surprise, the Kansas City Chiefs opened as a 1.5-point favorite over the Cincinnati Bengals when their AFC championship matchup was decided last weekend.
What was stunning, however, was the way the line shifted in favor of the Bengals by nearly a field goal as more people began to realize the potential impact of the high ankle sprain Patrick Mahomes suffered in the divisional round.
Well, that was short-lived. Whatever concerns the public had over Mahomes’ ankle are dissipating with each new video of him walking, practicing and leaving press conferences without a limp. By Thursday, the line flipped back in favor of the Chiefs, and now it’s exactly where it started at BetMGM.
Spread for AFC Championship Game at @BetMGM
Open: Chiefs -1.5
Monday: Bengals -1.5
Tuesday: Bengals -2.5
Wednesday: Bengals -1.5
Thursday: Chiefs -1
Friday: Chiefs -1.5
— John Ewing 🦁 (@johnewing) January 27, 2023
#Chiefs Patrick Mahomes (ankle) practicing again on Friday. pic.twitter.com/IXvsa6VsMd
— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladd0) January 27, 2023
Andy Reid confirmed Mahomes will be a full-go Sunday, which is great news for Chiefs fans and bettors. They have a better chance to win with a 65% Mahomes than a 100% Chad Henne.
I’m still not sold on the idea that the ankle won’t be a factor, though. It’s one thing to walk around and do some light jogging. It’s another thing to run and plant with full force and 250-pound men running at him. We’ll see how it goes Sunday.
