Joe Burrow’s headline-making performance last week has the Bengals getting some juice despite this team being consistently inconsistent all season. Thrashing a seriously undermanned Ravens defense does not give me belief that Cincinnati is going to cover a meager spread for a Kansas City team that is on a 6-0 ATS streak with its wins coming by an average of 20.2 points in that span. The Chiefs defense is other-worldly right now, allowing just 13.2 points per game over this stretch, though they did go back-and-forth with the Chargers two weeks ago. Kansas City can clinch the No. 1 seed, including a bye and homefield advantage in the playoffs, with a win Sunday. There’s every reason for the Chiefs to go all out here. See if you can get -3 (-110) flat, but I doubt it hits that number before kickoff.

Joe Burrow humiliated the Ravens last week and it'll likely take another big Burrow day to hang with a Chiefs team that's won eight straight. But here's the thing: K.C.'s defense is not the Ravens. The Chiefs have allowed more than 17 points just once since Week 7. The Bengals may be a first-place team, but none of their wins this season came over a team currently in first, and it's unlikely to happen here. Lay the points.

Kansas City has started to play the way it was expected to the whole season. The Chiefs have won eight straight games, the longest active win streak in the NFL. The main reason is quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is red-hot. Over the last three games, he's completing 73.3 percent of his passes, averaging 308.7 yards, and has thrown eight touchdowns. Let's face it: If Kansas City plays its game, few teams, if any, can hang. Chiefs win big.

The Chiefs are getting back to full strength and I expect them to put up 30-plus against the Bengals, who have struggled when facing strong passing attacks. K.C.'s defense, elite against the pass, will make it tough on Joe Burrow.. The Chiefs rank fifth in scoring defense and have given up 17 or fewer points seven times during their win streak. No reason to get in front of the NFL's best team.

This could be a playoff matchup we'll see later in January, as both teams are playing outstanding football. Defensively, I like what the Chiefs are doing a bit more than what I see from the Bengals. The key matchup -- the Chiefs' pass rush against the Cincinnati line -- should favor Kansas City. That edge should be enough to get the Chiefs the cover in this one.