Bengals vs. Chiefs odds, spread, line: 2022 AFC Championship Game picks, prediction from expert who’s 39-28

The Kansas City Chiefs will try to ride the momentum to their third straight Super Bowl appearance when they host the Cincinnati Bengals in Sunday’s 2022 AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs (14-5) beat Buffalo in one of the most memorable playoff games in NFL history last week. The teams combined for 21 points in the final two minutes and Kansas City prevailed 42-36 in overtime. The Bengals (12-7) had to grind out a 19-16 victory against the top-seeded Titans after holding off the Raiders in the Wild Card Round. The teams met in Cincinnati less than a month ago, with both teams putting up more than 400 yards in a 34-31 Bengals victory.

Kickoff at Arrowhead Stadium is set for 3 p.m. ET. Kansas City is a seven-point favorite in the latest Bengals vs. Chiefs odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 54.5. Before making any Chiefs vs. Bengals picks or 2022 NFL Playoffs predictions, be sure to check out what SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White has to say.

CBS Sports’ Fantasy and gambling editor, White ended the 2020 season on an 80-59 run on all NFL picks, returning more than $1,400 during that span. It’s no surprise, as White has cashed huge twice in the world’s most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest. 

In addition, White has gone an impressive 39-28-2 on his last 69 picks involving the Bengals, bringing a profit of more than $800 for $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed him is way up.

Now, White has set his sights on Chiefs vs. Bengals, and he just revealed his expert picks and 2022 AFC Championship Game predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see White’s picks. Now, here are several NFL lines for Bengals vs. Chiefs: 

• Bengals vs. Chiefs spread: Kansas City -7 
• Bengals vs. Chiefs over-under: 54.5 points  
• Bengals vs. Chiefs money line: Kansas City -360, Cincinnati +285 
• CIN: Bengals are 13-7 as road underdogs under coach Zac Taylor (since 2019)  
• KC: Chiefs are 7-3 against the spread in the playoffs under Patrick Mahomes (2018)

Why the Chiefs can cover

The home team is 5-2 against the spread in the last seven meetings, and Kansas City is overflowing with confidence. Last week’s win was its 11th in its last 12 games. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been at the top of his game and threw for 378 yards and three TDs against Buffalo. He has wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce on his side, and both came through last Sunday. Hill had 11 catches for 150 yards, including a 64-yard TD to spark the final fireworks, while Kelce scored the winning TD.

The Chiefs are fourth in the NFL in passing yards (281.8 yards per game) and scoring (28.2 points per contest). The Bengals’ defense ranks in the bottom half of the NFL in every category but rushing (fifth). Still, Kansas City put up 155 yards on the ground in the Week 17 matchup as the unit focused on stopping Mahomes. That was without running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who is back from a shoulder injury and had 60 yards last week.

Why the Bengals can cover

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked nine times last week and the Chiefs got to him four times in the Week 17 matchup, but he still threw for 446 yards. Burrow and rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase hooked up 11 times for 266 yards and three touchdowns against the Chiefs’ leaky pass defense. Fellow wide receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd combined for 141 receptions during the regular season.

Burrow is 5-0 straight-up and against the spread in his past five starts, averaging 344 passing yards with 11 TDs and just one interception. He faces a Kansas City defense that is 27th in the NFL against the pass (251.4 yards per game). Running back Joe Mixon, who has 1,700 total yards in 18 games, also could trouble a defense that gives up almost 118 yards per game on the ground. The Bengals have forced four turnovers in the two playoff games, and Trey Hendrickson has 15 sacks, including the postseason.

How to make Bengals vs. Chiefs AFC Championship Game picks

White has analyzed this matchup from all angles and is leaning Over on the point total. He also has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and which side of the Chiefs vs. Bengals spread to back, at SportsLine.

So who wins Chiefs vs, Bengals in Sunday’s 2022 AFC Championship Game? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see R.J. White’s Bengals vs. Chiefs picks and predictions, all from the NFL expert who’s 39-28 on his picks involving Cincinnati, and find out.