San Francisco 49ers (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS, 0-0 O/U) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS, 0-0 O/U)
NFL: Friday, August 11, 2017 at 9:00 p.m. EST
The Line: Kansas City Chiefs -4. Total: 37.
The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will begin their preseason slates when they meet at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Friday night. San Francisco went 2-14 last year and endured a stretch in which it lost 13 in a row. The Chiefs captured the AFC West crown but their offense sputtered in a home playoff loss to Pittsburgh.
Foster the linebacker
San Francisco linebacker Malcolm Smith, the team’s biggest free-agent acquisition on defense, may have sustained a significant pectoral injury at practice on Saturday. Coaches fear it could sideline the veteran fir the long term. If that is the case, rookie linebacker Reuben Foster is likely to get a considerable amount of playing time–both now and during the regular season. sustained a long-term injury during practice on Saturday. Foster was the No. 31 overall pick in this year’s draft, selected by the 49ers after they moved up via a trade with Seattle.
“The best way I can explain with Reuben is he’ll get his opportunity when he absolutely, absolutely deserves it,” Saleh commented. “The credit really goes to the backers in that room also, that they also deserve every opportunity that they’re getting as well as him.”
Quarterback quandary
Kansas City head coach Andy Reid said earlier this week that he has been pleased with the play of his quarterbacks in the early stages of camp. Alex Smith, Tyler Bray, and rookie Patrick Mahomes have completed a solid percentage of passes mixed in with a few big plays and minimal interceptions. Smith is penciled in as the starter, but he will be feeling some heat after the Chiefs drafted Mahomes in the first round this spring and signed him to a $16.4 million contract. The former Texas Tech standout is battling with Bray for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Smith, and Reid has not made any decision in that department as of now. Mahomes did not throw an interception in any of his first three practices.
“They’re competing right now,’’ Reid noted. “Obviously, Tyler has been here and knows a little bit [more]. I like what I’ve seen really from all three of them. I think all three of them have done a nice job.”
NFL Trends
The San Francisco 49ers are:
- 4-11 ATS in their last 15 overall
- 5-12-1 ATS in their last 18 road games
The Kansas City Chiefs are:
- 5-2 ATS in their last seven overall
- 9-4 Under in their last 13 overall
- 39-16 Under in their last 55 home games
The 49ers have done a lot of losing in recent times, and that includes a current streak of four straight preseason openers without a victory. Kansas City has several quarterbacks at its disposal who will all want to put on a good show to help their standing on the depth chart, so this visitors could be in trouble again in this one. San Francisco is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 overall and 5-12-1 ATS in its last 18 on the road. The Chiefs are 5-2 ATS in their last seven overall and the home team in this head-to-head series is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings. Expect those trends to continue.
Pick: Kansas City Chiefs -4
San Francisco finished second to last in total offense during the 2016 regular season. Granted, the 49ers’ defense was also terrible. But their offensive issues, which will likely carry over into 2017, may be more exposed in the early going of this preseason. Brian Hoyer is the starter at quarterback, which obviously leaves plenty to be desired. The under is 9-4 in the Chiefs’ last 13 overall, 39-16 in their last 55 at home, and 8-3 in their last 11 on grass. Look for this one to stay under the total.