At this point, it is well known that the Las Vegas Raiders have set the record for most losses in a season when having a lead of at least 10 points. Perhaps the most heartbreaking of those came to the long-time rival Kansas City Chiefs, and the Raiders now have a chance to exact some revenge in the final week of the season.
As a team, the Raiders don’t have much to play for as their playoff hopes are done. They can make life more difficult for their rivals with a win, however, as the Chiefs are in a battle for home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs. A victory could relegate Kansas City to as low as the three-seed, forcing them to be on the road for multiple games.
For Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham however, this is one more chance to show he can be a starting quarterback in this league. He had an excellent first outing against the vaunted San Francisco 49ers defense, and another great showing could lead to the Raiders keeping him around or another team giving him a shot.
Key Stats
Kansas City: 305.1 pass yards per game (1st), 25 turnovers lost (28th)
At this point, you already know what you are in for when you take on the Kansas City Chiefs, as Patrick Mahomes is once again one of the frontrunners for MVP this season. He leads the league in passing yards and touchdowns and has an array of weapons at his disposal.
Travis Kelce continues to make his case as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, with 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns. Juju Smith-Schuster has found his role within this offense as a reliable mid-yardage receiver. And Jerick McKinnon has exploded down the stretch with a touchdown in five straight games.
But turnovers have again been an issue for the Chiefs as they are near the bottom of the league in turnovers lost, with Mahomes’ 12 interceptions contributing to that immensely. The Chiefs have had multiple turnovers in three of their last four games, and it’s a big reason why they have found themselves in close contests against lesser competition.
Las Vegas: 16 Interceptions Thrown (4th Most)
The Raiders have had their own issues with taking care of the ball, especially through the air. Derek Carr is among the league leaders in interceptions. Even though Jarrett Stidham had an impressive game in his first career start, he also threw two interceptions, including one in overtime to set up the Niners’ winning field goal.
The Chiefs defense, however, is not like the Niners, as they have just 10 interceptions this season and rank 24th overall in takeaways. In fact, the first meeting between these teams was one of just five games in which the Raiders did not commit a turnover.
Keeping up with the Chiefs offense is difficult enough as it is, but doing so while turning the ball over is nearly impossible. This is not a juggernaut defense the Raiders are facing, so Stidham must be sure not to give them any easy opportunities.
Key Players
Kansas City: Jerick McKinnon
The Chiefs may not run the ball at an exceptional rate, but their running backs are still weapons, and Jerick McKinnon has come on in a huge way down the stretch to become arguably the team’s second-most consistent option through the air. He has totaled 8 touchdowns in the last five games, with seven of those coming through the air. Even as his yardage has come down the last two weeks, he has still found the end zone three times. Obviously, Travis Kelce is the top weapon, but the Raiders can not lose track of this dynamic weapon coming out of the backfield.
Las Vegas: Jarrett Stidham
Quite simply, this game means more to Jarrett Stidham than anybody else on the Raiders roster, as this is his chance to earn himself a potential starting job somewhere in the NFL. Throwing for 365 yards and two touchdowns against the Niners was an accomplishment, and following that up with another big game against the Chiefs would raise some eyebrows. He has the weapons at his disposal with Davante Adams, Darren Waller, and Josh Jacobs, now he has to utilize them, and he could cement his spot as a legit signal caller in this league.
Prediction
Chiefs 31, Raiders 28
The Raiders will be motivated against their rivals and last week showed they can hang with the best of teams. Additionally, the Chiefs have not looked like world-beaters in their past few games, struggling to beat the likes of the Texans and Broncos.
But the point is, they always do find a way to come through winning these games in the end. The Raiders will take it down to the wire, but somehow, some way, Mahomes always seems to come out on top, and this one will likely be no different.
