JEFF ALLEN GAME PREVIEW: RAIDERS at CHIEFS
In what is arguably the most important NFL game ever played or ever will be played on Thursday night football,
the 10-2 Oakland Raiders travel to Kansas City to face the 9-3 Kansas City Chiefs. The winner will be in the driver’s
seat of the AFC West and virtually guarantee itself a bye week in and later home field in the AFC playoffs. Kansas
City (-1.5) spanked the Raiders in Week Six 26-10 but the Raiders have reeled off six straight wins since going
5-1 ATS. Oakland is 5-0 in true road games this year, 6-0 (5-1 ATS) away from Oakland overall. Kansas City is 19-3
straight up in its L23 regular season games after winning it’s L10 games last year and then going 9-3 this year.
The game opened at Kansas City -3 with the total set at 47 1/2. Money has trickled in on the Cheifs all week but
books have resisted getting off three preferring to move the money in which saw Kansas City as high as -25 cents.
At this writing, the line has seen Kansas City go to -3.5 and five cents. Cold temperatures in the Midwest and the
Chief’s pedestrian offense has seen the total drop a full point to 46 1/2.
Oakland features a high powered offense and a defense that is second to last in the league and somewhat
disappointing after showing signs last year. Derek Carr has emerged as a leader and an elite passer. The Raider
offensive live has come together allowing the Raiders to run the ball (No.7) with Latavius Murray (553, 4.0 11TDs)
carrying the bulk of the mail. Oakland spreads it around with three back having more than 300 yards. The Black and
Silver bring heat on occasion but are No.24 against the rush and No.29 against the pass.
Kansas City is led by football’s ultimate game manager in Alex Smith. The former first overall pick out of Utah has
pedestrian stats at best but only Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers have more wins as a starter the last five years. TE
Travis Kelcie and back Spencer Ware are the Chief’s top weapons in their ground and pound offense. Rook Tyreek
Hill looks like he could become a big time deep threat. The Kansas City defense is led by Justin Houston who is a
big rusher who is rounding into form at just the right time after returning from injury.
The Raiders have made a living on the road all year but not a great spot here with the short work week and traveling
to a venue where they’ve had no recent success. Weather will be an issue as well. The Chiefs have owned the series
winning six of the last seven in the series with five of those by more than two touchdowns. This is a breakout Raider
team that is 5-1 ATS L6 and 5-1 ATS on the road this year. From the tech corner, the visitor is 16-5 ATS L21 in the
series and the Chiefs are just 3-15 ATS L18 as a HF and just 1-8 ATS L9 at Arrowhead overall. This is going to be a
good one.