New Game Preview: Raiders vs Chiefs - Week 5

Game Preview: Raiders vs Chiefs- Week 5

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Las Vegas Raiders (2-2)  |  Kansas City Chiefs (4-0)

 

Your Las Vegas Raiders look to avoid three straight losses as they take on Super Bowl defending champs, Kansas City Chiefs.

 

There is no need to beat around the bush. On paper, this matchup between the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs is a David vs Goliath affair. What makes it even tougher for the Silver and Black is the Raiders have the following  notable players listed as questionable heading into the game:

Henry Ruggs III, Jalen Richard, Bryan Edwards, Darren Waller, Trent Brown, and LaMarcus Joyner. 

Not only are the injuries detrimental, but they go up against an extremely healthy Kansas City team. This is a Chiefs team where twenty out of the twenty-two Super Bowl starters returned for this 2020 NFL season. 

Led by Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs come into the game trying to stay undefeated and look to start off 5-0 for the third straight year. Kansas City ranked top five in offensive rankings in 2019, and they are carrying that same type of success into the 2020 NFL season. They rank top five in yards and yards per game, where they like to keep possession of the ball for most of the game, trying to tire out opposing defenses.

 

Reigning champs for a reason…

 

You could list the Chiefs’ accomplishments and stats all day, but their true strength is their versatility and skill set. A credit to Mahomes’ success is the number of threats out wide, on the line, and in the backfield. He has three receivers who are arguably the fastest in the league in their own respects with Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, and Sammy Watkins. These three present so many issues for defenses. Whether it is deep downfield, through the middle, or short-range with jet sweeps and wide receiver screen calls.

Just when a defense thinks they have the wideouts contained, you can not forget about two-time first-team All-Pro, five-time Pro-Bowler, Travis Kelce. Kelce holds the record for most consecutive seasons with 1,000 or more receiving yards by a tight end (4).

Adding fuel to the fire, the Chiefs selected LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the first round’s last pick. The rookie halfback out of LSU comes off a National Championship himself. He fits right in with another winning system under future Hall-of-Fame coach Andy Reid, already racking up 304 yards rushing with a touchdown.

 

Las Vegas Raiders’ key to success…

 

It is impossible to ask a defense to stop all these receivers, but you can limit their production.

How so?

By disrupting their quarterback. The Raiders’ defensive line needs to cause more pressure and issues in the backfield to take the weight off their secondary crew. We’ve seen too many times in this season where quarterbacks have too much time and space in the pocket to distribute or take off with the football.

In this matchup, if the defense cannot cause problems in the backfield, Mahomes and Edwards-Helaire will make the Silver and Black pay, severely and often.

 

As for the offense…

 

In last week’s game, Derek Carr passed legend Kenny Stabler for most all-time touchdowns in Raiders franchise history. We will need to see another three or more of those touchdowns from DC in this next game if Las Vegas wants to compete. They will have to outscore the Chiefs, meaning they have to put up at least twenty-five points or more to stay in contention. Carr will have to make plays with his feet and avoid turning the ball over in crunch time.

Opposing teams will crack down on the same short ball tendency we see from Vegas’ offense, especially if Waller is out with an injury. They have to stretch the field and trust in receivers when it is one on one coverage. We see today’s game is cracking down a lot of defensive holdings and passing interferences, so the odds are in the receivers’ favor. From first-string all the way down, the Raiders’ wideouts have the talent; Carr just has to give them more opportunities.

 

Don’t miss this AFC West rival matchup as the Las Vegas Raiders face the the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday. Kickoff is at 10:00am PT on CBS.

 

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Justin Brooks – Franchise Sports Media

Twitter: @Ayyeju5tin

Instagram: @Ayyeju5tin

 

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Raiders vs Chiefs