NFL Week 11 Predictions: Kansas City Chiefs' Upset Odds for Monday Night

Well, the game against the Patriots is a must-win for Kansas City if they want to keep pace with Denver and Oakland in the AFC West—while also staying ahead of San Diego.

The division is still completely wide open, but the window closes slightly if the Chiefs fall on the road in New England.

That being said, what are K.C.'s upset odds? Let's dive in and figure it out.

First, we begin with decreasing the Chiefs odds; Matt Cassel is out for their Week 11 against the Patriots. According to Bill Williamson of ESPN's AFC West blog, Cassel is being replaced by Tyler Palko:

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"Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel has a broken right hand, coach Todd Haley confirmed Monday. Tyler Palko is taking over as Kansas City's starting quarterback against the New England Patriots on Monday night."

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So, with Cassel being out, can we really expect Tyler Palko to get the job done? No. However, he will play better than most anticipate.

For one, New England still has the No. 32-ranked pass defense, which allows almost 310 yards per game. In addition, coach Bill Belichick's defense still allows over 100 rushing yards. All hope is not lost for the Chiefs offense.

Kansas City does rank No. 9 in rushing offense. Expect a heavy dose of RB Jackie Battle along with a mixture of Dexter McCluster. Also favoring Palko is the Patriot's lack of a pass rush. With just 20 sacks this season, New England is tied with Cleveland at No. 20.

It is safe to assume K.C. can, and will, move the ball effectively. The only problem, though, is that Tom Brady will slice the Chiefs defense.

The Pats still rank No. 1 in pass offense. Kansas City has not only had just nine sacks (ranked dead last), but also allows over 230 pass and 130 rush yards per game.

Now, we all know that running the ball is not New England's forte. However, they have been able to utilize their RBs virtually at will thanks to a stellar pass game.

All this being said, Kansas City will score and have some solid success to build from offensively. Their defense is going to be split by Tom Brady; New England needs a win to pull away in the AFC East.

Odds: 1 in 75

Prediction: Patriots 42, Chiefs 23

Follow John Rozum on Twitter @ Sportswriter27.