On Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs will play the first ‘Black Friday’ game in NFL history against the Las Vegas Raiders. This is an enormous mismatch on paper, but so was last week’s game against the Panthers.
The Kansas City Chiefs had a big lead, gave it up, and eventually hit a last-second game-winning field goal, turning their perceived victory against a better-than-expected Carolina Panthers team into reality.
In the NFL, any team can win any given Sunday. The Las Vegas Raiders are reeling from various issues, including a seven-game losing streak, but they tend to play their best games of the season against their bitter division rival.
The angst between these teams is decades old, and their hatred has been fully displayed since their AFL days. Though the recent version of this rivalry is nowhere near those early days, the Raiders defeated the Chiefs last year on Christmas Day, sending the Arrowhead faithful home with a lump of coal.
In October, Kansas City defeated the Raiders in Las Vegas, 27-20. In typical fashion, the Chiefs struggled before finding their groove on both sides of the ball. What’s apparent is that these teams tend to play at each other’s level.
However, this might be the exception to that theory. The Raiders are a mess in every category. The Tom Brady bump never materialized, and this organization continues to add depths of dysfunction.
Head Coach Antonio Pierce is likely a one-and-done head coach. The team just lost its starting quarterback, Gardner Minshew, to a season-ending injury and will replace him with Aiden O’Connell, who is coming off an injury.
The team already traded away its best offensive player when it shipped DeVante Adams to the hapless New York Jets. Yet, they have the best defensive player in the NFL: defensive end Maxx Crosby.
His battles with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes remind me of Len Dawson’s love-hate relationship with Ben Davidson in the ’60s. Sparks fly when these two guys are on the field, but their respect for one another’s ability to play the game at a high level is apparent when each is asked to praise the other.
Still, based on what happened last weekend against the Panthers, a seed of doubt creeps in if you’re a Chiefs fan. After all, the Raiders did it last year; why can’t they do it again this round?
To answer that question, you bet they can. If the Chiefs offense turns the ball over, the defense continues its deep dive to average, and the Raiders find a groove offensively, they can upset the Chiefs.
The short week should keep the Chiefs focused on the task ahead. With Thanksgiving on Thursday, they can enjoy family time before their Friday afternoon kickoff. If they win, they’ll get a nice break before their matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
It’s possible the Chiefs can all but wrap up the AFC West with back-to-back wins over their rivals. But first things first, Kansas City can’t look past the Raiders.
Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo spoke to the media on Tuesday. His defense struggled in the second half, leaving a sour taste. He also said it was appropriate for him and the players to be ready to play on Friday.
It’s clear the defense has some issues, but honestly, if the pass rush can improve —and the return of Charles Omenihu could do that—the young secondary needs to tighten up its coverage responsibilities in high-pressure situations.
On offense, Mahomes had one of his best games of the year against the Panthers, and he seemed, despite five sacks, more comfortable staying in the pocket. Of course, his legs also made big plays, and his last run changed a potential overtime game to a Chiefs win in regulation.
So, despite the apparent mismatch, the Chiefs need a relatively comfortable win for the fan base and themselves.
