***Chiefs vs Raiders Official Game Day Thread***

[TopekaRoy]

A date which will live ... in INFAMY!

[TopekaRoy]

The Kansas City Chiefs (9-3, 4-1 at home)



at

The Oakland Raiders (10-2, 5-0 Away)



Thursday, December 8, 7:25pm CT
at
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City, Missouri




Television coverage:


Radio Coverage:
Kansas City


Lawrence/Topeka:


Manhattan, KS:


St. Louis


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[TopekaRoy]

Weather forecast: 21 degrees farenheit at kick-off with a wind chill of 12 degrees. Clear skies. 7 mph WNW winds.

Line: Chiefs -3, Over/Under: 46

Against the Spread:
Chiefs are 6-6 Overall, 2-4 as the Favorite and 1-4 at Home
Raiders are 7-5 Overall, 5-0 as the Favorite and 4-1 Away

Notable Quotables:
Chiefs:

"Week One we were saying it was the most important thing and as you get down the line they get bigger and bigger. That’s the great thing about this time of the year -- the stages get bigger and more meaningful. They save all these division games for the end so it’ll be fun. We’re looking forward to it. It’ll be an awesome environment on top of a huge rivalry."

--Chiefs Quarterback Alex Smith

Raiders:

"Just get your mind right and go play. We’ll be ready to go. We have a good group of guys. Feel like we’re weather proof. We’ll go play"

--Raiders Head Coach Jack Del Rio

Injury Report:

Dontari Poe	DT	Back	Full Participation in Practice	Questionable
Kendall Reyes	DE	Knee	Full Participation in Practice	Questionable

Shilique Calhoun	LB	Knee	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Karl Joseph	S	Toe	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Stacy McGee	DT	Ankle	Did Not Participate In Practice	Out
Cory James	LB	Shoulder	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Darius Latham	DT	Ankle	Limited Participation in Practice	Questionable
Kelechi Osemele	G	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	Zach Fulton	Mike Person
C	Mitch Morse	Zach Fulton
RG	Laurent Duvernay-Tardif	Jah Reid
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	Charcandrick West

BASE 3-4 DEFENSE
POSITION	STARTER	2nd	3rd	4th
LDE	Jaye Howard	Kendall Reyes Questionable
NT	Dontari Poe Questionable	Rakeem Nunez-Roches
RDE	Chris Jones	Jarvis Jenkins
LOLB	Justin Houston	Dadi Nicolas
LILB	Derrick Johnson	D.J. Alexander
RILB	Ramik Wilson	Terrance Smith
ROLB	Dee Ford	Tamba Hali	Frank Zombo
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
LG	Kelechi Osemele Questionable	Jon Feliciano
C	Rodney Hudson	Jon Feliciano
RG	Gabe Jackson	Vadal Alexander
RT	Austin Howard	Menelik Watson
WR	Amari Cooper	Andre Holmes	Johnny Holton
QB	Derek Carr	Matt McGloin	Connor Cook
FB	Jamize Olawale
RB	Latavius Murray	Jalen Richard	DeAndre Washington

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

[TopekaRoy]

Stats Leaders:
Chiefs:
Chiefs Stats Leaders 120816.jpg

Raiders:
Raiders stats leaders 120816.jpg

Team Stats:
Chiefs-Raiders team stats.jpg

Power Rankings:
Power Rankings - Week 14.jpg

Experts' Picks:
Week 14 Picks.jpg

Prisco's Pick:

This is the best Thursday matchup of the season. The winner will be in first place. The Chiefs won at Oakland earlier this season, and I think it happens again. The pass rush will slow the Raiders offense, and the Chiefs take a close one. Chiefs 24 - Raiders 20

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs vs. Raiders: Five Things to Watch
From Chiefs.com

Posted Dec 7, 2016

BJ Kissel Chiefs Reporter Chiefs.com Email @ChiefsReporter

A few storylines to follow during Thursday’s game

A good ol’ fashioned rivalry on the league’s biggest stage.

The Kansas City Chiefs (9-3) host the Oakland Raiders (10-2) in primetime in what’s being billed as one of the best Thursday Night Football games in history.

There are playoff implications on the line for both teams and the winner will take possession of first place in the AFC West division, which is considered the strongest in the league.

The Raiders have won six straight since losing to the Chiefs 26-10 back in Week 6, while the Chiefs have won eight straight against the division and will have a raucous crowd on their side.



In his career, #Chiefs QB Alex Smith is 8-1 against the #Raiders with 18 touchdowns to just 3 interceptions. #RaiderWeek

It’s the very best of what the NFL is all about—meaningful primetime games between rivals with plenty on the line late in the season.

Here are five things to watch on Thursday night:

1. The weather is going to be a factor

It’s been a storyline all week—the weather is going to play a factor in Sunday’s game. It’s just a matter of which team handles it better.

The Chiefs have built much of their success this season around their league-leading 25 takeaways and six non-offensive touchdowns. The weather could help lead to another one of those on Thursday night.



#ThursdayNightFootball weather forecast in the deep freeze!
#ChiefsKingdom @Chiefs


It’s going to be the coldest game either team has played in all year. That said, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said it won’t affect their game plan when he was asked by reporters about it this week.

“Normally, you just call the game and you go,” Reid said. “The players are used to that stuff, so it’s all part of it.”

For the fans, the parking lots at Arrowhead are open for tailgating beginning at noon on Thursday, more than seven hours before kickoff.

It’s the place to be, and Reid has already given everyone a note to leave work early.



That awkward request to get out of work early on Thursday?
Yeah, Coach Reid has you covered. #TNF #OAKvsKC

It’s going to be cold, but we’ve also got a future doctor’s advice on how to stay warm.

Click Link below to watch:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/806241579358883840

It’s time to be loud and prove it again, Chiefs Kingdom.

2. Derek Carr and the Raiders’ passing game

It’s easy to think that the weather could affect the passing game, which for Raiders QB Derek Carr, who finds himself in MVP consideration here late in the season, hasn’t been a good thing over the past three cold games he’s played in.

HC Tweet.jpg


“He’s a good player,” Reid said this week of Carr. “We had him over at the Pro Bowl last year, so I had an opportunity to get to know him and see how he's wired. He’s fearless with his throws, he can make all of them and he loves the game.”

Carr has completed 66 percent of his passes with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He leads a Raiders offense that’s averaging 28.8 points per game, which ranks third in the NFL.

The Chiefs have faced each of the NFL’s top four scoring offenses this year, and each of them is averaging at least 27.8 points per game, and the Chiefs held each to less than their season average.

In the case of the Raiders, who have scored at least 27 points in 10 of their 12 games this season, their worst output of the season was the Week 6 loss to the Chiefs, when they finished with just 10 points.

In his career, Carr is 1-4 against defensive coordinator Bob Sutton and the Chiefs, completing 58 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and five interceptions.

On the ground for the Raiders, it’s important to note that their starting running back, Latavius Murray, who ranks among the best in the NFL with 11 touchdowns on the ground this season, didn’t play in that first game between these teams.

3. Spencer Ware and the Chiefs’ running game

For a physical running back like Ware, who averages 2.9 yards after contact, which ties him for third best in the NFL, the cold-weather games tend to provide an atmosphere that puts the focus of the game in hands of the guys doing the dirty work between the tackles.

That’s music to the ears of Ware.

“It’s a ground game and we control it,” Ware said of Thursday’s matchup against the Raiders. “Up front with our linemen and on the defensive side, they’re going to control it because [the Raiders] are going to run the ball as well.

“They’re thinking the same thing we’re thinking.”

Ware is thinking and hoping for a continuation of the kind of production he had in the first meeting between these two teams.

The Chiefs’ 26-10 win back in October was the best game of Ware’s career, as he finished with 24 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown.

Ware’s toughness and fondness of playing in the cold derived from growing up as a kid in Cincinnati.

“As far as little league went, the playoffs and Super Bowl weren’t that deep into the winter days, but around the neighborhood, just because football ended, that didn’t stop me and my friends,” Ware explained. “We would play in the neighborhood and do ‘Top hill vs Bottom hill’ – stuff like that. It didn’t matter if it was snowing, raining, or temperatures in the negatives, we were out there playing all bundled up.

“There would be times when the blacktop was all covered in snow, and instead of playing on the grass, we had more space in this big parking lot compared to trying to play in-between these little brick houses with vents and sidewalks and all these things you could get hurt on, so we’d play out there.”



Ware’s determination in running the football is obvious to anyone who has watched him since his breakout season a year ago.

“Just knowing that nothing is promised in life, or this profession—every yard counts, every inch counts, and I want to try and make that difference,” Ware added.

Ware’s success in Week 6 against the Raiders wasn’t an outlier for their defense, which has had their troubles stopping the run this year.

The Raiders rank 29th in the NFL by allowing 125 yards rushing per game this season, including giving up 465 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground over their past three games.

4. Marcus Peters making plays against childhood team

Since the beginning of last season, there isn’t a player in the NFL who has more interceptions than cornerback Marcus Peters and his 13. Peters will be playing his fourth career game against his childhood team on Thursday night.

In the three previous career games—all wins, Peters has nine tackles, two interceptions, four passes defensed and a forced fumble.

The best players always tend to shine in the biggest of moments, and that could be the case again when the entire country is watching Peters and this defense continue to make plays we’ll all remember years down the road.

We saw it last week with safety Eric Berry, who was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against the Falcons in his hometown of Atlanta, and maybe that’s the case with Peters this week.

The Chiefs have been living on the big play so far this season, so Peters is as good as a guess as anyone on who might be making the big play this week, although it’s worth noting that linebacker Justin Houston didn’t play in the first meeting between these two teams.

“I’m happy to see him back,” Carr said of Houston’s return from injury via conference call this week. “He’s one of the best players we have in this league. I never ever wish bad for anybody. Whenever anybody comes back from an injury, I’m fired up for them.

“I know the stress that can be on his life and things like that. I’m happy to see him come back and play well.”

In that Week 6 game without Houston, Dee Ford had a couple of sacks—one of which was a key strip-sack on a ball that Peters recovered for the Chiefs defense, just one of their NFL-leading 25 takeaways this season.

5. What’s the Chiefs injury situation?

With only defensive linemen Dontari Poe (back) and Kendall Reyes (knee) listed as questionable for Thursday’s game, the Chiefs are in decent shape as far as injuries go at this point in the season.

Players are dealing with the usual bumps and bruises that come along with the season, but a few extra days off after this Thursday game will be helpful.

Maclin looks to make his return to the field for the first time in more than a month as he missed the last four games with a groin injury.

In eight games this season, Maclin has 30 receptions for 376 yards and two touchdowns. In his last three career games against the Raiders, Maclin has 15 receptions for 198 yards and three touchdowns.

[TopekaRoy]

Game Preview from ESPN.com

Thursday's Raiders-Chiefs game means something this time

When the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs got together for their twice yearly meetings over the last 57 years, there's always been a certain edge to the competition.

Generally what has been on the line is pride, reputation and honor. Every once in a while the payoff is even larger. The latter is the case Thursday night when the Raiders visit Arrowhead Stadium to play the Chiefs. Kickoff is set for 7:35 p.m. in what is predicted to be a frigid evening, with temperatures in the high-teens and a wind-chill factor that will make it feel like 10 degrees.

"Honestly I love the cold," said Oakland quarterback Derek Carr. "I played in the Mountain West Conference and you play in a lot of different places whether it's Wyoming or Reno or Air Force or Colorado State, obviously cold places. I've had my fair share of those games; you treat it like any other game whenever you talk about weather. If you let it affect you, it will, so you just go out there with the right mindset."

The weather conditions just may help the 9-3 Chiefs cool off the hot 10-2 Raiders. The battle is for control of the AFC West, where Oakland is the leader and the Chiefs sit a game behind. But Kansas City won the first game between the teams 26-10 back in October in Oakland. Since that game the Raiders have not lost, racking up six consecutive victories by an average margin of nine points. Carr has become the first player in NFL history to throw five game-winning touchdown passes in the fourth quarter or overtime in a season.

"Both teams know each other," said Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. "They've made changes defensively that have made them better on that side of the ball. They're playing very good all the way around in the different phases. They were a little down on the defensive side early on but they've picked up in that area. They're flying around and making plays."

Other than a two-point loss to Tampa Bay just over two weeks ago, the Chiefs have continued their winning ways, taking six of the last seven games. With their 11-1 record to close out the 2015 season, Kansas City is 20-4 in their last 24 regular-season and postseason games. Both teams won last Sunday, with the Chiefs beating the Falcons in Atlanta by one point and the Raiders coming from behind for a victory over Buffalo.

The short preparation time is the bane for all players and coaches, especially the Chiefs, who have had two straight road games, including the trip to Denver when they played a full 75 minutes. The Raiders will be sore, tired and cold.

"The number one thing is recovery," said Carr. "In a week like this, there's some tough things that come with it, but like Coach Del Rio says, 'Nobody cares.' Nobody cares, at the end of the day you have to go play."

The Raiders have a half-dozen victories this season that came with strong fourth-quarter comebacks. It's a mentality that's changed around Oakland with Del Rio in charge.

"We're learning how to win games at whatever cost it takes," said Carr. "Whether it's Khalil (Mack) stripping somebody or Tay (Latavius Murray) running the ball in or Seth (Roberts) catching another game-winner, we're just learning how to win games. I think that the more experience we have at doing that, the more situations we're in we're going to be able to look back and said, 'We've done this before'."

The first game between these teams was a 16-point victory for the Chiefs. That day the Raiders did not have Murray, who was out with an injury. He should be on the field Thursday evening. That K.C. victory was built on ball control and security.

They'll need more of the same to slow the Raiders locomotive.

"The positive is you get a few days off afterwards," said Reid. "Getting ready is a bit of a scramble drill, but you do it and you move on. It's hardest on the players, especially the later you get in the year."

[TopekaRoy]

Chiefs game plan: Scouting the Oakland Raiders (10-2)
From The Kansas City Star

Red Zone The Chiefs and NFL by beat writer Terez Paylor

DECEMBER 7, 2016 7:10 PM

Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson knocked down Raiders running back Jalen Richard in KC’s 26-10 win on Oct. 16 in Oakland, Calif. John Sleezer jsleezer@kcstar.com

The scheme

Coach: Jack Del Rio (85-82) is in his second year on the job and 13th overall as a 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, 49, 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 seventh in rushing (114.6 yards per game) and fourth in passing (277.1 yards per game). The Raiders have passed the ball approximately 58 percent of the time. They enjoy throwing short passes (like screens and crosses) out of the gun while also mixing in some no-huddle. Musgrave will also call on some six O-lineman sets to help establish the run.

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. His unit ranks 29th in rushing defense (124.8 yards per game) and 24th in passing defense (264.8 yards per game). The Raiders also rank 26th in the NFL with 21 sacks and seventh in turnovers forced (21). 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. Kicker Sebastian Janikowski has converted only 79 percent of his field goals, though all but one of his six misses have come from 50 yards plus. Punter Marquette King has dropped 27 punts inside the 20, the fourth-most in the league.

Four keys to a Chiefs victory

1. Use presnap motions and shifts (again)

The Chiefs used a ton of presnap motions and shifts to pound the Raiders on the ground in their 26-10 win on Oct. 16. The Chiefs racked up season-highs in rushing yards (183) and carries (40) due to the Raiders’ inability to consistently communicate and remain disciplined vs. the run. Del Rio didn’t like that — afterward he said the Chiefs do some “gimmicky” things — but the Chiefs could at least see if they’ve improved in that area. If they haven’t, it could help them exploit one of the league’s worst run defenses, one that has given up some chunk plays on the ground and is coming off a miserable performance against Buffalo in which they won 38-24 but allowed 212 yards in 30 carries, an absurd 7.1 yards per carry. According to Pro Football Focus, 139 of those yards came before contact. So yes. Run. The. Ball.

2. Dial up some play action

The Raiders don’t get home much; they are struggling to pick up sacks (26th in the league). They’re also prone to surrendering big plays. They’ve given up the seventh-most plays of 20 yards or more (eight). So if the Chiefs can’t run the ball, they should still dial up some play action. No team has proven to be more susceptible to that than Oakland — the Raiders are allowing 10.9 yards per play-action play, the most in football according to Football Outsiders. The Chiefs rank 11th in yards per play-action play (8.6) so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Chiefs test the Raiders early and often.

3. Get the Raiders in third-and-long

The Raiders are outstanding at protecting the quarterback. They’ve yielded a league-low 12 sacks and only 94 pressures (the second-fewest in the NFL, per PFF) and they also rank eighth in passing plays over 20 yards (44) thanks to pair of stud receivers in Amari Cooperand Michael Crabtree. So the Chiefs need to make star quarterback Derek Carr — who has a dislocated pinky finger on this throwing hand — throw it on third-and-long, which can only be done if they stop the run effectively on first and second downs. Their rushing attack is strong — they’ve broken off 13 runs of 20 yards or more, the third-highest total in the league — and they aren’t very tricky or gimmicky, though they will use six offensive linemen a lot. So, the Chiefs’ front seven better buckle it up this week and be physical — both at the point and when tackling — and disciplined. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long night against the team that has forced the fifth-most missed tackles in football. “If we can’t stop it, they’ll keep running it,” inside linebacker Derrick Johnson said.

4. Stay disciplined

The Chiefs racked up a season highs in penalties (13) and yards (128) against the Falcons on Sunday. They still won, but discipline will again matter against the league’s most-penalized team. Oakland has been penalized 112 times for 932 yards (compared to 83 times for 651 yards for the Chiefs) and while they’ve still mounted an impressive 10-2 record, this could be one of those games where every yard counts. One thing to keep in mind: the lead referee for tonight’s game is Terry McAulay, and the last time he worked an Oakland game (Oct. 30), the Raiders were flagged an absurd 23 times for 200 yards. They still won, but if the Raiders don’t knock it off, they could beat themselves with this crew.

Four Raiders to watch

No. 4, QB Derek Carr, 25 years old, 6-3, 214, third season

Ranked No. 100 on the NFL’s Top 100 for 2016, he has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate. He’s completed 65.5 percent of his passes and is on pace to throw for 4,500 yards, 32 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Is playing with a dislocated pinky finger but still completed 19 of 35 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns against Buffalo on Sunday. Is very good about taking what the defense gives him and generally makes good decisions with the football. Has been encouraged to be more aggressive and has been given more freedom at the line. Spreads it around well and 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. His deep-ball accuracy has improved; he’s completed 58 percent of those throws (third-best in the NFL, according to PFF) for for 744 yards and eight touchdowns. Positive, upbeat and enthusiastic leader who loves to celebrate with his receivers following touchdown passes. Good athlete who can escape the pocket.

No. 28, RB Latavius Murray, 26 years old, 6-3, 230, fourth season

Third-year pro who made his first Pro Bowl in January after rushing for 1,066 yards and six touchdowns in 2015. Former sixth-round pick who is on pace to rush for 737 yards in 187 carries — an average of 4.0 yards — and 15 touchdowns in 10 games this season. Has been playing through an ankle injury but is coming off a 20-carry, 82-yard, two-touchdown performance against Buffalo. Long-strider with good physical traits; ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at his pro day in 2014. Doesn’t quite play to timed speed — is a bit of a one-speed guy — but can still run away from a defense and flashes some power along with some lateral agility. Sees the hole fine. Derrick Johnson said Murray reminds him of a young Adrian Peterson. “Runs hard, can run you over or run past you,” Johnson said. “They run him a lot.” Functional receiver who has caught 29 passes for 228 yards this season. Capable blocker.

No. 52, DE Khalil Mack, 25 years old, 6-3, 252, third season

Ranked No. 13 on the NFL’s Top 100 for 2016. Has been crushing it, of late. Had a sack, interception, forced fumble, fumble recovery and a touchdown against Carolina two weeks ago and another sack and fumble recovery against Buffalo last week, in addition to seven hurries. Currently has 58 tackles, 10 sacks (third in the NFL) and 21 quarterback hurries (fourth). 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 and is one of the game’s elite edge rushers. Possesses a nice spin move and long-arm pass rush. 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. 51, SLB Bruce Irvin, 29 years old, 6-3, 260, fifth season

Former first-round pick by Seattle who signed a four-year, $37 million contract in March with the promise he’d be allowed to rush the passer more than he did in Seattle, where he averaged six sacks per year from 2014 to 2015. Irvin currently has five sacks this year, but that doesn’t fully reflect his pass-rush impact so far; he also has 17 quarterback hurries , which is tied for 13th in the NFL. Wins with power and speed as a rusher and enjoys rushing the passer but doesn’t have have a huge repertoire of moves. Generally has good instincts and has shown a knack for creating plays; has already forced four fumbles this season (tied for the second-most in the NFL) after forcing only one in each of his first four seasons. Currently has 42 combined tackles; plays with adequate strength and awareness as a run defender and does a nice job finding the ball and playing sideline-to-sideline. Possesses good overall cover skills for a linebacker. Good, complete football player.

Bonus notes on the Raiders

▪ The Raiders used some pistol last week. With Derek Carr nursing a sore pinky, that might be a substitute for running under center in frigid weather.

▪ The Raiders have a nice cast of receivers, but Michael Crabtree (67 catches, 785 yards, seven touchdown) and Seth Roberts (31 catches, 332 yards and five touchdowns) have struggled with focus drops (nine apiece, according to Football Outsiders).

▪ Amari Cooper (68 catches, 981 yards, four touchdowns) is a good route runner with plus hands, ball skills and run-after-the-catch ability. He’s already one of the game’s best young wideouts.

▪ The Raiders’ offensive line is one of the best in football. They’re big, they’re strong and they’re nasty. The Chiefs’ young interior D-linemen have to bring it or the Raiders will control the clock.

▪ The right tackle position is the line’s only questionable spot. The Chiefs might be wise to go after Austin Howard in passing situations.

▪ The Raiders will occasionally turn to Vadal Alexander to give them some additional beef up front in six O-lineman sets.

▪ Jihad Ward has, at least statistically speaking, been the Raiders’ most productive defensive lineman from a pass-rushing standpoint. His nine quarterback hurries are six more than the next closest Raider, Denico Autry. But Ward, a rookie from Illinois, has a lot of work to do as a run defender before he can be considered a complete player.

▪ The Raiders miss defensive lineman Stacy McGee, who will miss this game with an injury. He’s their most complete defensive lineman overall.

▪ Perry Riley Jr. has been a pleasant surprise. After being waived by Washington during training camp, Riley signed with the Raiders in early October and has given the Raiders some quality snaps, recording 30 tackles in seven games.

▪ Malcolm Smith is a versatile linebacker, with 72 tackles, but he’ll miss some tackles here and there. He’s missed 14 this year, tied for the fifth-most in the league.

▪ The Raiders boast one of the league’s best cornerback duos in Sean Smith and David Amerson. Both are long, rangy and competitive. Amerson brings ball skills (he’ll miss some tackles here and there, though) while Smith brings passion (though he occasionally struggles against smaler receivers). Smith, a Chief from 2013 to 2015, will be returning to Arrowhead Stadium for the first time since he signed a four-year, $40 million deal with Oakland in March. He’ll be fired up and eager to make a play.

▪ With starting nickel corner D.J. Hayden on injured reserve, T.J. Carrie recently stepped into the role and fared nicely, allowing only two completions for 28 yards on seven targets, per PFF.

▪ With starting safety Karl Joseph out due to a toe injury, Nate Allen will likely get the nod to step in. He recorded an interception off a deflection last week, but the Raiders struggled with eye violations in the secondary earlier in the season when Joseph wasn’t playing.

Prediction: Chiefs 20-17

Get ready for a war. These two teams know each other, and this game will play a huge role in deciding the AFC West champion. With a win, the Chiefs will not only match Oakland’s record at 10-3, they’ll also set themselves up to win the division for the first time since 2010. Not only do they hold a ton of division tiebreakers, they also have looming matchups against San Diego and Denver. Oakland is a rising team, and will be a problem for many years, but the Raiders — who are only in year two of Del Rio’s stewardship — might not be ready to march into Kansas City and win a game like this against a battle-tested Chiefs team that has been building toward this season for four full years. Either way, expect a nasty, competitive contest with the entire nation watching.

[Eydugstr]

Thanks for posting the game day thread, TopekaRoy!

[TopekaRoy]

Thanks for posting the game day thread, TopekaRoy!

You're welcome. And thank you for posting in the game day thread!