Score prediction: Take the Chiefs on Oakland’s
dirt in one of NFL’s storied rivalries
From The Kansas City Star
By Blair Kerkhoff
bkerkhoff@kcstar.com
September 13, 2019 05:00 AM, Updated September 13, 2019 06:12 PM
The Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) visit the Oakland Raiders (1-0) in a battle between original AFL members. Their rivalry is one of the NFL’s most intense, and this is likely the final game between the teams in Oakland — the Raiders are scheduled to relocate to Las Vegas next season.
The early date of this game means some of it will be played on the Coliseum’s dirt infield.
Line: Chiefs by 7 (opened 8 1/2)
Blair Kerkhoff’s prediction: Chiefs, 38-30
The Week 1 performances left both teams feeling encouraged. The Chiefs had things wrapped up at Jacksonville by the end of the third quarter, and the Raiders handled the Broncos at Oakland behind quarterback Derek Carr. It took Oakland a month to gets its first victory in Jon Gruden’s first season and the team started 1-8. Both teams lost a starter to injury last weekend. Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill is expected to miss a few weeks with a sternoclavicular joint injury in his shoulder. Rookie Raiders safety Johnathan Abram tore a rotator cuff and will miss the season. The Chiefs have held the upper hand in this storied rivalry in the Andy Reid era, winning 10 of 12. Patrick Mahomes quarterbacked the Chiefs’ sweep last season. The Chiefs’ two losses under Reid have come in Oakland, the latest in 2017. A Raiders triumph in this one would be one of the weekend’s biggest upsets.