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The Kansas City Chiefs have surpassed their over / under win total the past two seasons. The sports books had the Chiefs at eight wins prior to the 2014 season and they went over with nine wins.
One sports book is slightly more optimistic about the Chiefs this year than they were last. That sports book has placed the Chiefs win total at 8.5.
That seems ... fair. The Chiefs feel like a team that's going to be competing for a Wild Card spot and that's usually around 9-10 wins so I can see where they get that.
The Chiefs 8.5 wins are clustered with several other teams at the same number including the Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills (pre-McCoy, Cassel trades), Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers and San Francisco 49ers. So the sports book is basically saying the Chiefs are in the same group as those teams. Which again ... that seems fair.
The Chiefs don't have much available cap space right now so fans are going to be down on the team during free agency. But I bet by the time the season gets here, plenty more Chiefs fans will be picking over rather than under. That's usually how it works at the start of the season -- everyone feels they have a shot (which is what's so great about the NFL).
The two biggest parts of the offseason -- free agency and the NFL Draft -- have yet to occur so you can bet that our perceptions of some of these teams will change by the time we get to May.
For now though, take a peek. What stands out to you?
2015 over / under win totals
New England: 11
Seattle: 11
Green Bay: 10.5
Denver: 10
Dallas: 9.5
Indianapolis: 9.5
Baltimore: 9
New Orleans: 9
Philadelphia: 9
Atlanta: 8.5
Buffalo: 8.5
Carolina: 8.5
Cincinnati: 8.5
Detroit: 8.5
Houston: 8.5
Kansas City: 8.5
Pittsburgh: 8.5
San Diego: 8.5
San Francisco: 8.5
Arizona: 8
Miami: 8
N.Y. Giants: 8
St. Louis: 7.5
Chicago: 7
Minnesota: 6.5
N.Y. Jets: 6.5
Cleveland: 6
Washington: 6
Jacksonville: 5.5
Tampa Bay: 5
Tennessee: 5
Oakland: 4.5