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Both players – not to mention tight end Darren Waller, who caught seven passes for 70 yards against the Broncos – helped quarterback Derek Carr put together one of the best games of his career last week.
Carr completed 22-of-26 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown in the game, posting a 121.0 passer rating while leading the offense to convert on 10-of-14 third-down opportunities.
The sixth-year veteran is coming off an up-and-down year for Oakland and has historically struggled against the Chiefs – posting a 76.0 career passer rating – but Monday’s performance didn’t surprise Reid.”[He had a] phenomenal game. I’ve [coached] him in the Pro Bowl before, so I got to know him as a kid,” Reid said. “Smart guy with a lot of talent. He’s one heck of a player and we’re aware of that. It’s a great challenge for us when we play them.”
Kansas City’s defense – which, much like Oakland, made a myriad of changes this offseason – will look to slow down Carr on Sunday as playmakers such as defensive end Frank Clark, safety Tyrann Mathieu and defensive tackle Chris Jones continue to develop within new Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme.
In fact, Spagnuolo even dusted off some old film from classic bouts between the Chiefs and Raiders from decades past for inspiration on Sunday.
“It’s about being physical – the most physical team wins – and you can see guys talking smack on the field and off the field. [It’s about] just being ready, keeping your head on and just playing ball,” said linebacker Anthony Hitchens. “It’s going to be a physical match – there are going to be some bumps and bruises – and I’m looking forward to it.”
It’s been 19,356 days since the Chiefs won that first matchup at the Coliseum all those years ago, and on Sunday, Kansas City will look to end their time in Oakland the same way it started.