The Kansas City Chiefs may not be spectacular, but they're on a roll. They've won seven consecutive games to gain control of one of the AFC Wild Card spots and seem poised to stretch their winning streak to eight with a matchup against the injury-ravaged Baltimore Ravens on the docket Sunday.
NFL picks and predictions, Chiefs vs. Ravens 2015: Kansas City is expected to continue its winning streak
The Chiefs are in control of their own playoff destiny thanks to a seven-game winning streak.
One of the biggest reasons for the Chiefs’ success has been their ability to play mistake-free football. Quarterback Alex Smith had his run of 312 consecutive pass attempts without an interception snapped last week, which was the second-longest streak in NFL history behind Tom Brady’s 358 in 2010-11.
Smith hasn’t thrown for more than 255 yards over the last seven games, but his quarterback rating is a spectacular 103.5. He’s also gotten a lot of help from a strong running game, which has more than held its own without Jamaal Charles. Kansas City is averaging 123.5 rushing yards per game this season, which is seventh in the league.
The Chiefs’ offense may have to carry them Sunday due to a big injury on the defensive side of the ball. Linebacker Justin Houston is in danger of missing the rest of the regular season with a sprained knee.
Even without Houston, the Chiefs should have more than enough to contain the Ravens Sunday. Quarterback Matt Schaub could miss his second consecutive game with an injured chest, which may pave the way for the recently signed Ryan Mallett to see his first action in Baltimore. Jimmy Clausen did not impress in Sunday's 35-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, completing 57.5 percent of his passes and throwing an interception. It was Baltimore's first loss this season that wasn't a one-possession affair.
Given Joe Flacco’s absence and their decimated roster, it’s unlikely the Ravens will play many close games the rest of the way. All eight of our experts are picking the Chiefs to win Sunday, as are the 13 pickers at ESPN and the eight analysts at CBS Sports.
| Week 15 | Ryan Van Bibber | Stephen White | Joel Thorman | David Fucillo | Danny Kelly | Matt Ufford | PFT Commenter | OddsShark |
| KC vs BAL | KC | KC | KC | KC | KC | KC | KC | KC |
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