2023 NFL Kickoff Game odds: Bengals, Eagles, Dolphins, Raiders favorites to open next season at Super Bowl champion Chiefs
As Super Bowl champion, Kansas City will host the 2023 Kickoff Game.
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The Kansas City Chiefs upset the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl 57 for a second title in four years and already have been installed as +550 favorites at Caesars Sportsbook to repeat next February in Las Vegas with head coach Andy Reid deciding to return to the team. As the reigning champions, the Chiefs will host the annual NFL Kickoff Game to begin the 2023 season on Thursday, Sept. 7, and SportsLine oddsmakers favor the Bengals, Eagles, Dolphins and Raiders as the potential opponent.
Unless the NFL does something completely out of the ordinary, it would be the third time Kansas City plays in the Kickoff Game. K.C. is 2-0 in the previous two. The Chiefs hosted the Texans to open the 2020 campaign and won 34-20. They also played in the 2017 game at defending champion New England and won 42-27.
The Buffalo Bills would have been among the favorites to visit Kansas City in the 2023 Kickoff Game, but they just played in it last year – winning at the Rams -- and the NFL has shown no inclination to let the same team play in it back-to-back seasons.
For the most part, the league has preferred intraconference matchups, the 2022 game a semi-rare exception. Thus, the Cincinnati Bengals stand out like a sore thumb to be the pick, as they and the Chiefs have played four classic games over the past two regular seasons and playoffs. Patrick Mahomes, now a two-time Super Bowl and regular-season MVP, finally beat Joe Burrow in this season's AFC title game 23-20. The Bengals have never played in the Kickoff Game and are +900 sixth favorites to win Super Bowl 58.
How about a Super Bowl 57 rematch? That wouldn't be unprecedented as it happened to kick off the 2016 season when defending champion Denver, in its first game post-Peyton Manning's retirement, lost 21-20 at home to Carolina, which was upset by Manning and the Broncos in Super Bowl 50. The Eagles won this game in 2018 when they were defending champs. They are +800 to win it all next February.
The Raiders won't be the choice… unless they do for Aaron Rodgers, and they are the betting favorites at DraftKings to land the four-time MVP. We should have an answer on Rodgers' future this week. That's all the AFC needs, another stellar quarterback. Divisional games are rare in the Kickoff Game, but Rodgers vs. Mahomes might be too good for the league and NBC to pass up.
The Raiders remain a very popular national franchise, but the NFL and NBC might want a team from the Eastern Time Zone in the game for maximum viewership. 2022 playoff club Miami fits the bill, especially since the game would involve a matchup with former Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill. The NFL schedule should be out in May, but this game usually leaks early.
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Will team will the Chiefs host in the 2023 Kickoff Game?
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