***Chiefs @ Raiders Official Game Day Thread***

[TopekaRoy]

Hope springs eternal ...

[TopekaRoy]

The Kansas City Chiefs (2-2)



at

The Oakland Raiders (4-1)



Sunday, October 16, 3:05pm CT
at
O.co Stadium
Oakland, California



Television coverage:
CBS

Kansas City


Topeka


St. Louis


Radio Coverage:
Kansas City


Lawrence/Topeka:


Manhattan, KS:


St. Louis


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[TopekaRoy]

Weather forecast: 66 degrees farenheit, Light rain. 13 mph SSW winds

Line: Chiefs -3, Over/Under: 46

Against the Spread:
Chiefs are 1-3 Overall, 1-1 as the Favorite and 0-2 Away
Raiders are 2-3 Overall, 2-0 as the Underdog and 0-2 at Home

Notable Quotables:
Chiefs: "[Last year,] We had a couple of runs in there when we were in that 1-5 stage where we were making strides and improving, but we weren’t winning. That’s when you really have to trust each other and trust the process that this is going to pay off if you just stay the course. The things you believe in most are the things you have to count on most when it’s not going the way you like it. You don’t just abandon the things that you believe in. You grab onto those things, they’re your lifejackets, those are your pillars and don’t let go of them. We know how to do these things. These guys have done these things so we just have to keep driving on and pushing.”--Chiefs Defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton

Raiders: "Next game is up. Right now it’s all about what we do Sunday against the Chiefs – division rival. If you want to win your division you have to win in your division. We’re looking forward to the opportunity. Chapter six is coming up.”-- Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio

Injury Report:


No injuries to report

Vadal Alexander	G	Ankle	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Latavius Murray	RB	Toe	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Menelik Watson	T	Calf	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Nathaniel Allen	S	Quadricep	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Jonathan Feliciano	G	Calf	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Taiwan Jones	RB	Knee	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Matt McCants	T	Knee	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Malcolm Smith	LB	Quadricep	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Clive Walford	TE	Knee	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable

[TopekaRoy]

Depth Charts:

Chiefs

OFFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
WR	Jeremy Maclin	Tyreek Hill	De'Anthony Thomas
TE	Travis Kelce	Demetrius Harris	Ross Travis	James O'Shaughnessy
LT	Eric Fisher	Bryan Witzmann
LG	Parker Ehinger	Zach Fulton
C	Mitch Morse	Zach Fulton
RG	Laurent Duvernay-Tardif	Jordan Devey
RT	Mitchell Schwartz	Jah Reid
WR	Chris Conley	Albert Wilson	Demarcus Robinson
QB	Alex Smith	Nick Foles	Tyler Bray
FB	Anthony Sherman	Spencer Ware
RB	Spencer Ware	Jamaal Charles	Charcandrick West	Knile Davis

BASE 3-4 DEFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
LDE	Jaye Howard	Chris Jones
NT	Dontari Poe	Chris Jones
RDE	Allen Bailey	Nick Williams
LOLB	Dee Ford	Dadi Nicolas
LILB	Derrick Johnson	D.J. Alexander
RILB	Justin March-Lillard	Sam Barrington
ROLB	Tamba Hali	Frank Zombo	Sio Moore
CB	Phillip Gaines	Steven Nelson	Kenneth Acker
SS	Eric Berry	Daniel Sorensen
FS	Ron Parker	Eric Murray
CB	Marcus Peters	D.J. White

Raiders

OFFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
WR	Michael Crabtree	Seth Roberts
TE	Mychal Rivera	Ryan O'Malley
LT	Donald Penn	Matt McCants Questionable
LG	Kelechi Osemele	Jon Feliciano Questionable
C	Rodney Hudson	Jon Feliciano Questionable
RG	Gabe Jackson	Vadal Alexander Out
RT	Vadal Alexander Out	Austin Howard
WR	Amari Cooper	Andre Holmes	Johnny Holton
QB	Derek Carr	Matt McGloin	Connor Cook
FB	Jamize Olawale
RB	DeAndre Washington	Jalen Richard

BASE 4-3 Defense
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
LDE	Jihad Ward	Denico Autry
LDT	Dan Williams	Stacy McGee
RDT	Justin Ellis	Darius Latham
RDE	Khalil Mack	Jihad Ward
WLB	Perry Riley Jr.	Malcolm Smith Questionable
MLB	Cory James	Daren Bates
SLB	Bruce Irvin	Shilique Calhoun
CB	David Amerson	D.J. Hayden	Antonio Hamilton
SS	Karl Joseph	Keith McGill
FS	Reggie Nelson	Keith McGill	Brynden Trawick
CB	Sean Smith	TJ Carrie	Dexter McDonald

[TopekaRoy]

Stats Leaders:
Chiefs:
Chiefs Stats Leaders 1016.jpg

Raiders:
Raiders stats leaders 1016.jpg
Team Stats:
Chiefs vs Steelers Stats.jpg
"Expert's" Picks (Straight up)
Expert Picks week 6.jpg

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs vs. Raiders: Game Preview
From Chiefs.com

Posted Oct 15, 2016

Pete Sweeney Chiefs Reporter Chiefs.com Email @pgsween

The Chiefs head to Oakland to face the first-place Raiders

What a difference a week, or in the case of the Kansas City Chiefs (2-2), two weeks, make.

Two weeks ago, the Chiefs faced the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football in a game in which they fell behind early and ultimately lost, 43-14. It was the type of loss that makes a team want to play again right away, but with a Week 5 bye week, the Chiefs didn’t have that luxury.

“You don’t like sitting on the loss,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid explained earlier this week. “That’s not an enjoyable thing. You learn from those things and you move on.”

Moving on became a much easier feat with the news the Chiefs announced on Wednesday.

Linebacker Justin Houston, perhaps the defense’s most important player, received clearance to resume football-type activity. Then, Reid announced that for the first time in a year, running back Jamaal Charles, perhaps the offense’s most important player, would be a full participant in practice.

On Thursday afternoon, every member of the Chiefs current 53-man roster practiced in some capacity, and when the official injury report heading into the game came out Friday, no Chiefs player appeared on the list.

The best part for Kansas City? This all leads into 2016’s first version of Raider Week, when the Chiefs travel to the O.co Stadium in Oakland, California, to take on the division-leading Oakland Raiders (4-1) at 3:05 p.m. CT Sunday.



“I love playing in Oakland,” LB Derrick Johnson said this week. “I’ve had a lot of success there over the years, but it’s always been tough. And it’s always going to be tough in Oakland with that crowd. You love going into a hostile environment. If you can operate in a hostile environment, it brings out the best in you. If you can’t overcome the adversity, you’re not going to be very good and you’re not going to have very much success as a team.

“To be able to go down to playoff-type atmosphere against a very good Raiders team, it’ll be a good test for us.”

Through their first five games in 2016, the Raiders have displayed a knack for winning the close football game. In each of their four wins, the margin has been by one score or less. And while they are giving up a league-worst 27.4 points per game, they are also averaging a fifth-best 28.4 points per game.

“You’ve got to find a way to score more points than they do,” Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said this week. “That’s the bottom line and what we’re trying to do on offense. I think we all know we haven’t played to our potential for four quarters and we’re going to have to. This league is too good and there’s too much parity for us to be falling behind early and not stringing four quarters together.”

A potential return to an ordinary amount of playing time for Charles could help provide the boost the Chiefs offense is looking for.

In his first game, against Pittsburgh, Charles only saw 10 snaps and had two rushes for 7 yards, but his comments this week would lead you to believe he is primed for more playing time.

“I'm ready,” Charles told the media this week. “I told them to let the training wheels off me. I don't want them on. I know how to ride now, so take them off and let me ride."

As the Chiefs get their starting RB back, the Raiders will be without their starter in Latavius Murray (turf toe) for the second week in a row. Last week against the Chargers, the rookie tandem of DeAndré Washington and Jalen Richard filled in for Murray, combining for 54 yards on 17 rushes.

Starting right tackle Menelik Watson (calf), and his replacement from last game, Vadal Alexander (ankle), will be out this week, potentially helping to open things up for Chiefs linebackersDee Ford, Tamba Hali and Frank Zombo to get to Raiders QB Derek Carr, something that has been tough to do with a Raiders offensive line that has allowed a league-low five sacks.

Carr, in his third season, is off to a tremendous start, with more than 1,300 yards, 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions.
“I think Derek has had a great year,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said. “Since he’s been at Oakland, one of the things that he’s done a really, really good job of is getting the ball out of his hands. He’s been exceptional at that since he’s been there – a rookie to right on through. Very, very good athlete. He can run as good as anybody in our league.”

Carr currently posts the league’s seventh-best passer rating (102.3), making use of his two favorite targets—wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, who have a combined six touchdowns.

Tasked with defending Cooper and Crabtree will be Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters and company. Peters makes his second trip to his hometown of Oakland since becoming a pro Sunday, and while last time he said there was a great deal of emotion, this time for him it’s just business.

“I was so excited to get home (last year),” Peters said, “but you know, we talked about it, we had our first game. Everything that happened last year, I was just so overwhelmed and just ready to go home, but [this year], it's just a regular game—trying to go back home and play some good football."

For the Raiders on defense, a player to always watch is defensive end Khalil Mack, who after finishing with the second most sacks in the league last season (15.0), has just one so far. Starting LB Malcolm Smith (quad) is questionable .

In this week’s Thursday Night Football matchup, the San Diego Chargers defeated the Denver Broncos, 21-13, which effectively opened up the door for the Chiefs to “reset” the AFC West on Sunday. With a win, every team in the division would have at least two losses on the season.

The rivalry between the Chiefs and Raiders has always been great, since its original days in the 1960s.
But for the first time in a while, the matchup has the feel of one with true division implications.
Raider Week, the old Raider Week, is upon us.

[TopekaRoy]

Game Preview from ESPN.com

Throw out the records as Chiefs play Raiders

The Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders face off twice a year and have done so in their 57 seasons together in first the American Football League and since 1970, the National Football League.

The games are almost always entertaining, aggressively played and sometimes have extracurricular activity during the play and after the whistle. It's considered one of pro football's most storied rivalries.

That has not been the case over the last two decades, however. Both franchises have struggled for consistent winning and been unable to grab a Super Bowl victory.

As the Chiefs (2-2) come off their bye week and head to Oakland for Sunday's game against the Raiders (4-1), both teams are without losing records. Kickoff is 3:05 p.m. CDT at the Oakland Coliseum.

The last time the teams did not sport at least one losing record before the game was 2010. The most recent case where both teams had a winning record going into one of their two games was in 2002.

Oakland reached the Super Bowl after that '02 season, before losing to Tampa Bay in the title game. That's also the last time the Raiders were 4-1.

Coach Jack Del Rio's team is on a three-game winning streak that hasn't always been pretty, but has the Raiders tied for the AFC West lead with Denver.

"I think we have a healthy perspective of what we want to look like and knowing that we're not quite there," Del Rio said. "There is a lot of work in front of us. I don't think anybody would disagree with that. A lot of things we must do better as we go forward. We're working hard at it."

For coach Andy Reid and his Chiefs, they've been sitting with the vile taste in their mouth of a 43-14 butt-whipping provided by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Oct. 2.

No one involved in Kansas City has reached for a panic button given the club's performance last season when they started 1-5, but then won 10 straight games to make the playoffs and picked up a first-round shutout of the Houston Texans.

Reid has spent two weeks looking at his team's four-game performance, where inconsistency is the best description of their play. The Chiefs failed in all three phases of the game against Pittsburgh, so improvement is imperative across the board.

"We've got to coach better, we've got to play better," Reid said. "We all have to do a better job against this team."
Last season, the Chiefs swept the Raiders, winning by 14 points in Oakland and six points in Kansas City. Since arriving at Arrowhead Stadium, Reid's record against the Raiders is 5-1 and including his time in Philadelphia, he has an overall 6-3 vs. Oakland.

Where Reid's record glitters is after a bye week. In 17 seasons with the Eagles and Chiefs, his teams are 15-2 post-bye. Reid has a regular-season career winning percentage of .592, but his teams in the week after bye have won at a .882 clip.

"Every year is different," Reid said. "It's situational, who you play and where you play. I don't even look at that."
The young Raiders have shown major growth this season when it comes to handling themselves in close games. They've won by one, seven, one and three points, after losing five games last season by six points or fewer.
It's an impressive improvement from a team that against San Diego started five rookies and used a dozen first-year players in their victory.

"We wanted to take a step forward in terms of understanding how you flourish in those situations and make the winning plays," Del Rio said. "The NFL is about close games and you have to play well in those critical moments in order to win."

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr confirms that a lot of sweat has gone into establishing a winning mindset in the huddle.

"We work extremely hard and especially in those situations," Carr said. "We spend a lot of time throwing routes, going over coverage, going over two-minute drills, end of game situations.

"You hang your hat on that. We've done this before. Let's be confident when we take the field and go do it."
One factor that should help the Chiefs is a bigger role for running back Jamaal Charles. He's one year and five days removed from the torn ACL in his right knee and Reid said this week that baring any setbacks, his role should expand from the 10 plays and two carries he saw against Pittsburgh.

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs game plan: Scouting the Oakland Raiders (4-1)
From The Kansas City Star

Red Zone The Chiefs and NFL by beat writer Terez Paylor

SEPTEMBER 23, 2016 9:40 AM

The Scheme

Coach: Jack Del Rio (75-80) is in his second year on the job and 13th overall, as an NFL head coach. Del Rio, 53, is a former NFL linebacker who made his bones as a defensive coach in the league. He was the linebackers coach on arguably the greatest defense of all-time, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, and traditionally built strong defenses during his nine-year tenure as Jacksonville’s head coach (sixth in yards allowed and eighth in points allowed). Del Rio wants to have a fiery, physical defense and is one of the league’s most aggressive coaches when it comes to going for it on fourth down.

Offense: Bill Musgrave,48, is in his second year as Del Rio’s offensive coordinator in Oakland and ninth year overall as an NFL offensive coordinator. He’s a former NFL quarterback whose units currently rank ninth in rushing and seventh in passing. The Raiders like to pound the rock but they’ll protect quarterback
Derek Carr by putting in shotgun and throwing screens, crosses and short routes. Likes his empty-back sets, too, as the Raiders’ backs will sometimes sprint into the flat before or after the snap to give Carr an easy safety valve. Will also mix in no-huddle.

Defense: Ken Norton, Jr., 50, is in his second year as Del Rio’s defensive coordinator. He’s a former NFL inside linebacker who built his reputation working under Pete Carroll as a linebackers coach during Seattle’s recent run of playing excellent defense. Though his units currently rank 27th in rushing defense and dead last in passing defense, the Raiders have been able to get off the field when it matters, as they’re second in third-down defense. The Raiders generally utilize a 4-3 but they are multiple and will mix in some 3-4 looks.

Special teams: Brad Seely, 60, is in his second year as Del Rio’s special teams coach and 28th overall as an NFL special-teams coach. The Raiders’ kicking game is solid. Sebastian Janikowski has made the most 50-yard-plus field goals of anybody in NFL history, while punter Marquette King has a very strong leg and rare flair for a punter; he even broke out the Ray Lewis dance against the Ravens in Week 4 after a great punt. “He’s high energy, very athletic and I have a lot of respect for him,” Chiefs special-teams coach Dave Toub said. “He’s punting well right now. Directionally, he punts toward the boundaries and pins guys down there. We’re going to have our hands full with him.” King kicks it far, though, so he’ll surrender the occasional big punt return (Falcons, Week 2). Their top returner, undrafted rookie Jalen Richard (5-8, 207), is dangerous.

Four keys to a Chiefs victory

1. Feed Charles, Ware and Kelce
The Raiders have struggled with speed backs (like Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman, who averaged 5.5 yards per carry against them in Week 2), power backs (like Tennessee’s Derrick Henry, who averaged 4.5 yards per carry in Week 3) and players in between (like Tennessee’s DeMarco Murray, who averaged an absurd 7.1 yards per carry). That means the Chiefs should look to feed Jamaal Charles, Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West and take advantage of their differing styles. Mixing up the tempo would help too, as the Raiders have struggled vs. the no-huddle. In the passing game, Oakland has tightened up its defense a bit over a rough start to the season where the tape is littered with eye violations and blown coverages, while the insertion of rookie safety Karl Joseph — a ‘16 All-Juice member — has helped, the Raiders still surrender big plays. Tight ends also seem to fare well vs. Oakland, so the Chiefs might try to get Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce involved.

2. Attack Mack
Third-year defensive end Khalil Mack (6-3, 253) is a marvelous player, someone who needs to be accounted for on every play. He only has one sack, but don’t be fooled by that — he’s still tied for 11th in the quarterback pressures with eight and Raiders coach Jack Del Rio thinks he’s being held a lot. “That’s probably the biggest thing that stands out, the number of times the opponent is just pulling him down, restricting him from getting to the quarterback,” Del Rio said. “At some point that’s going to balance out, we’ll start getting some of those calls.” Well ... until they do, the Chiefs might be wise to follow other team’s lead and go after him. Chip him with tight ends, send extra protection that way ... whatever it takes to keep this guy from single-handedly wrecking your offensive game plan. Because he can do it.

3. Keep tabs on Crabtree ... and keep calm
Second-year pro Amari Cooper (6-2, 210) is the first player who often comes to mind when the topic of the Raiders’ receivers comes up, but the truth is, veteran Michael Crabtree (6-1, 215) is the alpha dog of that group right now. Cooper has the deep speed, and he’s the go-ball guy — the Raiders try to get him isolated on an island and take a deep shot with him early in most games — but Crabtree is the more reliable third-down target and the guy Carr turns to when things get heavy. “He’s always been noted for great hands,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton said. “He can snatch a ball in the air. His catch radius is pretty doggone good, and obviously, I think Carr is very comfortable with him.” Crabtree is also a talker, and he and cornerback Marcus Peters went at it a little bit last season. Peters is a live wire who thrives on emotion, and you can believe Crabtree is going to trash talk the Oakland native in front of his home crowd in an attempt to bait him and get him off his game.

4. Stop the run first, then dial it up on Carr
The Raiders boast a massive, physical offensive line, which they use to effectively run the football. It’s a bit of a lumbering group, but they’re strong and have done a heck of a job protecting Carr, as the Raiders have allowed the fewest sacks in football (five). Carr has thrived in the Raiders’ quick-delivery offense, completing 66.8 percent of his passes for 1,383 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions while continuing his ascent as one of the game’s best young quarterbacks; in fact, he has thrown the second-most touchdowns (53) of any player to start his career, behind Dolphins legend Dan Marino. So if the Chiefs are going to disrupt him Sunday, Sutton is going to have to dial up his best stuff on the rare occasions Carr holds the football, which is why stopping the Raiders’ run game is so important. If Oakland can live on second- and third-and-short, the Chiefs will probably have a difficult time stopping them. “Since he’s been at Oakland, one of the things that he’s done a really, really good job of is getting the ball out of his hands,” Sutton said of Carr. “He’s been exceptional at that since he’s been there — a rookie to right on through.”

Four Raiders to watch

No. 4, QB Derek Carr, 25 years old, 6-3, 214, 3rd season
Ranked No. 100 on the NFL’s Top 100 for 2016. Game has slowed down for him some; is very good about taking what the defense gives him. Generally makes good decisions with the football and spreads it around effectively, so you have to disguise coverages to confuse him. Doesn’t get hit much, but like most quarterbacks, he will make a questionable throw or two under duress. Throws short routes with touch; will occasionally drop to a sidearm delivery. Has terrific touch on fade balls, especially in the end zone; can put it on a dime with a flick of the wrist. Has good arm strength and can really hum it in there, but his deep-ball accuracy is generally inconsistent. Positive, upbeat and enthusiastic leader who loves to celebrate with his receivers following touchdown throws. Has led seven game-winning drives the last two seasons, the most in the NFL; uncorked a grown-man throw on the game-winning go ball to Michael Crabtree in Week 4 over Ravens. Good athlete who can escape the pocket. “He can run as good as anybody in our league,” Sutton said.

No. 15, WR Michael Crabtree, 29 years old, 6-1, 215, 8th season
Has been the Raiders’ top receiving option this season, catching a team-high 29 passes for 355 yards and a league-high five touchdowns. Has caught at least three passes in 23 straight games and could be on his way toward a Pro Bowl year. Looks fully healthy and explosive again following an Achilles’ injury in May 2013. Courageous, competitive and confident receiver who can work the field horizontally and vertically. Tremendous route runner with field awareness and good feet. Is terrific at the top of the route when it comes to getting separation; even has a crossover step against off coverage. Has strong hands and consistently wins contested balls. Is Carr’s security blanket.

No. 52, DE Khalil Mack, 25 years old, 6-3, 252, 3rd season
Ranked No. 13 on the NFL’s Top 100 for 2016. Plays with his hand in the dirt outside the tackle but will occasionally reduce to a three-tech. Possesses outstanding combination of burst, strength and effort off the edge; one of the game’s elite edge rushers. Possesses a nice spin move and long-arm pass rush. Racked up 15 sacks last season but is a true two-way player who excels against the run; is disciplined and stout. “He plays with great leverage — he’s strong to hold the point in the run game,” Chiefs co-offensive coordinator Brad Childress said.

No. 27, S Reggie Nelson, 33 years old, 5-10, 210, 10th season
Ranked No. 60 on the NFL’s Top 100 for 2016. Thumper who will strike you; solid all-around player who signed a two-year, $8.5 million deal with the Raiders in the offseason. Defensive tempo setter and team captain who is around the ball a ton — leads the Raiders in tackles with 37 (next closest player has 26) and has also racked up five passes defensed and an interception. Has also recovered two fumbles. Not quite the athlete he was in his younger days and has been beat in coverage some this season but generally has good instincts with playmaking skills; tied the Chiefs’ Marcus Peters with eight interceptions last season and leads all active safeties in interceptions since 2007 with 32. “He plays in center field, he also plays up by the line of scrimmage, they’ll also blitz him off the edge as well,” Childress said.

Bonus notes on the Raiders

▪ The Raiders might be without their big Pro Bowl back, Latavius Murray, due to a toe injury, but his rookie replacements — Washington and Richard — are capable. Washington boasts superior quickness and runs tough; he’s got the most juice of the bunch, though both can catch passes out of the backfield. Richard is no slouch, either; he’s a tough and squatty runner.

▪ Crabtree has been the boss this year at receiver but don’t forget about Cooper. Between them, they’re averaging 11.5 receptions and 156.5 receptions per game this year. Third receiver Seth Roberts (6-2, 195) is impressive, too; he’s big, quick and has some elusiveness after the catch. The Raiders like to find him on sprint outs in the red zone.

▪ They miss tight end Lee Smith, a good blocker who helped them set the tone in the running game but is out due to an injury.

▪ Against the Chargers last week, they decided to occasionally pound the ball with six offensive linemen, as rookie tackle Denver Kirkland (6-4, 335) served as a blocking tight end, of sorts.

▪ Oakland’s offensive line is pretty good, and the offseason addition of Kelechi Osemele (6-5, 330) has only helped. Just a big, nasty group that can get after you a bit. The interior, in particular, with Osemele, Hudson and Jackson, is rock-solid.

▪ If Dee Ford is going to have a big game — and yes, he knows he needs more production — this might be the week. He might be facing a hobbled rookie tackle in Vadal Alexander (6-5, 326) who is a bit heavy-footed on the edge and can be stressed by speed. He’s committed a team-high five penalties this year, including three holds, but he did not practice Wednesday or Thursday due to an ankle injury. Even if he doesn’t play, Ford — or whoever lines up on that side — needs to take advantage of that matchup, anyway.

▪ The Raiders need more from their pass rush, just like they Chiefs. They only have seven sacks this year, which ranks 30th in the NFL. Defensive lineman Stacy McGee (2 1/2 sacks) and linebacker Bruce Irvin (two sacks) have flashed, but the rest of the group — outside of Mack — needs to pick it up.

▪ The Raiders’ inside-linebacker play has been uneven all year, as rookie Cory James (6-1, 229) and the recently-signed Perry Riley, Jr., (6-0, 240) have been charged with holding down the fort after starter Ben Heeney’s injury. Del Rio says he’s happy with the job both have done under a “tough set of circumstances,” but the Chiefs might still be wise to try to attack both of them, especially if they both have to play due to weakside linebacker Malcolm Smith’s quad injury.

▪ David Amerson (6-1, 205) is playing his tail off. He’s a ballhawk with swagger; last year he led the NFL with 27 passes defended, one more than Chiefs star Marcus Peters. Like Peters, he often puts himself in position to make a play on the ball.

▪ With Amerson thriving, teams have attacked former Chief Sean Smith (6-3, 218), who signed a four-year, $40 million deal with the Raiders in March. Smith was benched in the season opener against New Orleans after struggling mightily against the Saints but has bounced back. He can still be a little grabby in space and in off coverage, and he still struggles with smaller, quicker players at times, but he’s bounced back with interceptions in consecutive games and remains an enthusiastic sort who can bring some juice to a defensive backfield.

▪ Rookie safety Karl Joseph (5-10, 207) has helped the secondary since his insertion into the starting lineup before Week 3, despite the lingering effects of a knee injury. He’s little, but he’s a good athlete with range. He’s also a willing and capable tackler.

▪ Some things never change, as Oakland is the most penalized team in the NFL with 49 penalties.

Prediction: Chiefs 27-24

The Raiders’ four wins are by a combined 12 points, so it’s not like they’ve been crushing teams. Throw in Andy Reid’s ridiculous record after the bye (15-2), his 5-1 record vs. the Raiders as the Chiefs’ head coach and the Chiefs’ desire to put their embarrassing 43-14 loss to Pittsburgh to bed, and there’s a lot of things going in the Chiefs’ favor here. Expect a fun, competitive and emotional game, one that might be reminiscent of past memorable Chiefs-Raiders tilts. The Coliseum should be rocking.

[ctchiefsfan]

Truly you are a wizard if ever a wiz there was TopekaRoy! As always...Thank you for the game day thread. I have to be at work at 4pm Eastern but one of my co-worked will keep me updated on the score.

[kcvet]

thumbs up TR