Betting Overview: The NFL betting world did not know what to make of the Kansas City Chiefs before the season started. Once the Chiefs picked up running back Thomas Jones from the Jets, it was clear that the Chiefs wanted to run the ball. Add in Jamaal Charles to the mix, and you have one of the most potent running games in the NFL. But the preseason NFL predictions surrounding the Chiefs were still unsure as to how they would finish. Once the NFL scores started coming, fans could see that the Chiefs were on to something. The fact that the St. Louis Rams got better after they drafted rookie quarterback Sam Bradford was not a huge surprise. The weakness of the NFC West division was also not a huge surprise, although some experts were picking the San Francisco 49ers to run away with the division. What is a surprise is that the St. Louis Rams are in first place in the NFC West and fending off the Seattle Seahawks for the division title. No the NFC West will not produce the next NFC Champion, but it is still fun watching the St. Louis Rams win games after so many losing seasons. Offense: The Chiefs will be without quarterback Matt Cassel who is only human and not capable of playing only 10 days after having his appendix removed. Backup quarterback Brodie Croyle will get the start, and his job will to be to hand the ball to Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles. There is no need for the Chiefs to throw the ball in this game. Jones and Charles will combine for well over 2,000 rushing yards by the time the season is over. The Chiefs can give their starting quarterback a rest and just let the running game win this one for them. Rookie quarterback Sam Bradford turned out to be more valuable than anyone had thought. Once veteran quarterback A.J. Feeley went down with an injury in the preseason, it was all about Bradford. Bradford is trying to limit his mistakes. He has 17 touchdown passes, but he also has 12 interceptions. That is not bad for a rookie. Running back Steven Jackson and the St. Louis ground game are able to take some pressure off of Bradford from time to time, which gives the rookie space to complete some passes. This is a growing-up period for Bradford, and he is giving every indication that he will grow into a very good NFL quarterback. Defense: The Rams defense is strongest against the run. St. Louis is ranked 12th in the league against the run allowing an average of 106 yards per game. But they will need to stiffen up in this game as the Chiefs will run the ball at them. Croyle may throw the occasional underneath pass, but it is doubtful that he will be a threat to throw deep. This is just another reason why the Rams can devote more resources to stopping the run. The Chiefs have a hard-hitting defense, but they do offer some weaknesses for Bradford to try and exploit. The Chiefs are ranked 22nd against the pass, and show signs of having problems defending against the big play. Expect to see a lot of Steven Jackson early in the game, but if the Kansas City defense starts to stiffen against the run then Bradford will be throwing deep. The Bottom Line: This game will be all about possession time. With a running game like the one the Chiefs have, they should be able to keep the ball away from Bradford and the St. Louis offense for a majority of the game. Pick: Kansas City Chiefs
