Chiefs vs. Seahawks: Week 16 Preview and Predictions

The Arrowhead Report crew predicts whether the Chiefs will rise to 12-3 on the season.

The Kansas City Chiefs clinched the AFC West title (again) with a win over the Houston Texans a week ago, and they're squaring off against an old division rival with plenty still on the line on Christmas Eve.

Pete Carroll's 7-7 Seattle Seahawks come rolling into town this week in desperate need of a win in order to keep their playoff hopes in decent standing. Andy Reid's team, on the other hand, is still in a heated rate for the top playoff seed in the AFC and can't afford to lose on Saturday. With this inter-conference matchup having great importance so late in the season, it's safe to say that both clubs have a ton to play for in Week 16.

How will today's game unfold? The Arrowhead Report crew makes their predictions.

Joshua Brisco: Why wouldn't this be a weird one? Sure, the Chiefs should be able to run the football at will. Sure, KC only really has to worry about DK Metcalf on Seattle's offense. Sure, the Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes. And yet, I wouldn't bet on the Chiefs to cover with someone else's money. The Chiefs need to survive a cold day against a good-but-slipping team with a victory to keep their realistic chances at the No. 1 seed alive. A blowout would be a nice gift to Chiefs fans, but as long as the team doesn't give the Arrowhead faithful a lump of coal, Christmas won't need to be called off.

Prediction: Chiefs 27, Seahawks 24

Jordan Foote: Geno Smith's rise to being a legitimately productive quarterback and the Seahawks unexpectedly being a formidable opponent are two of the best storylines of the 2022 season. With that said, Pete Carroll's group is trending in the wrong direction and the Chiefs are coming off back-to-back wins that were far too close given the quality of who they faced. Expect a big-time performance from the Chiefs' offense this time around, paving the way to a fairly comfortable win as a not-so-early Christmas gift to themselves and their fans. 

Prediction: Chiefs 34, Seahawks 23

Mark Van Sickle: The former AFC West rivals will battle it out at Arrowhead in what is supposed to be bitter-cold temperatures. Will that lead to both teams relying heavily on the run game, or will there be a surprise Christmas Eve shootout on the horizon? Either way, the Chiefs should win the battle. They haven’t been able to cover the spread in the past two weeks and being a double-digit favorite might be a bit much again, but they shouldn't lose at home. If the Chiefs can create a turnover while not giving up the ball, that would go a long way to making things easier on themselves.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Seahawks 24

Zack Eisen: After playing four of five on the road, including three straight, the Chiefs return to Arrowhead to face the Seahawks. Due to the Russell Wilson trade, many people predicted this to be a rebuilding year for Seattle. However, that hasn’t been the case, as they are in the thick of the playoff race. After starting out the gates 6-3, though, the Seahawks have slowed down and currently sit at 7-7. The Chiefs are fighting for the one seed, and the Seahawks are fighting to make the playoffs. The Chiefs will be getting their opponent’s best and need to stay focused if they want to stay alive for that coveted postseason bye.

Prediction: Chiefs 35, Seahawks 24

Conner Christopherson: After the Chiefs went to overtime against the hapless Texans, it's hard to think any game they play will be a blowout. Seattle has cooled off over the course of the second half of the year, but this is still a solid team that should be able to score on the Chiefs' defense. One matchup on that side of the ball that will be interesting to watch is DK Metcalf against the Chiefs' rookie cornerbacks, who have performed admirably so far this year. On offense, all eyes are on Patrick Mahomes as he is three solid weeks away from winning his second MVP. The Chiefs need to keep winning, so I think they will do so.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Seahawks 24