The Raiders are set to take on the Chiefs at home after upsetting the defending Super Bowl champs as double-digit road underdogs in week 5.MyBookie sportsbook currently lists the betting odds at 6.5 in favor of Kansas City, but they were actually 12.5-point favorites in week 5.
Everyone knows how good Chiefs’ HC Andy Reid has been coming off of a bye week (18-3 career record) and Jon Gruden seemed to scoff at the notion that it was a coincidence that the Chiefs play the Raiders for the fourth time in the last five seasons coming off a bye.
The Chiefs were aggravated by the victory lap the Raiders took six weeks ago and are using it as extra motivation going into this AFC West battle. However, even with Reid’s superb record off a bye, and the added inspiration after the victory lap, the public betting money isn’t overwhelmingly on the Chiefs. And there might be good reason for that.
Kansas City is 4-3 ATS when favored by 6.5 or more this year, but when the Raiders allow less than their average of 26.8 points-per-game, they are 4-0 SU. The Chiefs, despite being the top scoring team in the league (31.8 ppg), have scored 26 points or fewer 3 times this year. The Raiders have the only interception on Patrick Mahomes’ resume this year and created 28 pressures in their previous matchup.
The over/under in this contest sits at 56.5. The score of 40-32 in week 5 shattered the over, but with improved defensive play from Las Vegas and a more motivated Chiefs team coming off a bye this number seems about right. The Raiders have hit the over in 7 of 9 outings this year and are 5-0 SU when they average over 28 ppg. The Chiefs are 7-0 SU and 6-1 ATS when they give up fewer than 20.3 ppg.
The blueprint for each team winning is pretty clear. These are two offenses that can score against anyone and a pair of defenses that can be very hit or miss. The Raiders have shown that they can get into a shootout and beat the Chiefs – and that’s something that only one team can claim in the Chiefs last 20 opponents.
Twitter: @paulsolvs
Twitter: @raidersbeat
We get Colton Miller back at left tackle and so it’s going to be a lot easier to run the ball down their throats and that’s how we’re going to win this game. We’re going to jam them at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and run the ball down their throats and then when they gang up on the line of scrimmage Nelson agholor and Henry rugg’s are going to have a field day with these guys and how to Renfro and Darren Waller you can’t stop us we are Raiders
I have faith in my raiders that it will be another win
Like I have said before, this game is important but not that big of a deal. A loss won’t hurt that bad. We have a lot of more important games after Sunday night. We play two or three of the teams that are on par with us. The Dolphins and the Colts are just as dangerous as the chiefs. We still control our own destiny if we win out after Sunday night
Mark Anderson of the Las Vegas Review-Journal has it right in his article
Raiders again show they can play with NFL’s best. Is there a scarier 6-4 team in the NFL? Irrespective of their win / loss record, this team is literally on the cusp of greatness. After the game, Patrick Mahomes said; “That’s a hell of a football team over there…” He was not kidding or joking. If there was before, there is now absolutely no doubt that Derek Carr is a better quarterback than he used to be and, in my opinion, still getting better. In short, the offense IS NOT the “problem” with the Las Vegas Raiders. This week, against the Kansas City Chiefs, I got my wish. THERE WAS a Zay Jones citing and targeting, THERE WAS a Derrick Carrier citing and targeting, Alec Ingold was targeted and Jason Witten was targeted. In short, the Raiders offense was diverse, unpredictable and effective, hands down. I’ve stated, in the past, that I have been a Raiders fan for 52 years and can say for the first time, in a long time, that I am well pleased with the progress of the Raiders, this year. After the Raiders’ signature win, against the New Orleans Saints, earlier this year, the Raiders got the CONFIDENCE that they had been missing and have continued to build on it. Earlier this year, in a previous post, I had remarked that every football team has losses but how you lose is important too. If a team loses a tough game where they were in the game until the end, and fought a hard, tough fight, THAT says MUCH about the character of that team. THIS WAS the case against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Raiders were definitely “in the fight.” The Raiders “fought hard and played tough.” While losing is not the objective, a tough loss sends a message to all future opponents. I can absolutely guarantee that ANY team facing the Raiders is in for a full four quarters of fight and good football. THAT is all that any fan, of any team, can ask for. I know that this latest loss won’t settle well with Jon Gruden and that is great. He’s going to push his team to get even better and who could blame him for that? But, for their valiant effort, Sunday night, against the Kansas City Chiefs, I say GREAT JOB RAIDERS, GREAT JOB.