Preview and pick for Chiefs at Raiders
The Kansas City Chiefs have only one blemish on their 2020 record – a 40-32 loss at home to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Offense was not the problem for the Chiefs, who could not slow down Derek Carr and the Raiders' offense. Since that loss, the Chiefs have won at Buffalo and Denver and then beaten the Jets and Carolina at home. They come out of their bye to visit the Raiders and seek revenge for that Week 5 loss. The Raiders come in with a 6-3 record but are a perfect 3-0 in the AFC West. They started the season 3-2 but have now won three games in a row, with victories at Cleveland and in Los Angeles over the Chargers. Last week, they beat the Denver Broncos by 25 points at home.
Can the Chiefs even up the season series, or will the Raiders pull off another upset? Take a look at our preview of this AFC West showdown.
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders (November 22)
When: Sunday, November 22, 2020, 4:25 pm ET
Where: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
TV: NBC
Radio: Westwood One
JAZZ Sports Odds: Chiefs -7 / Total 56.5
Why the Chiefs Will Win
Patrick Mahomes has 25 touchdown passes against just a single interception – and that interception came late against the Raiders, as safety Jeff Heath picked off a high pass from Mahomes to help seal the win. His top targets have been Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, who have combined to catch 15 touchdown passes. Rookie tailback Clyde Edwards-Helaire leads the team with 589 yards and two scores on the ground, but new addition Le'Veon Bell has given the team even more versatility in the backfield.
On defense, the Chiefs have been much improved this season, permitting 20.3 points per game. Chris Jones leads the team with 5 ½ sacks, and L'Jarius Sneed leads the team with two interceptions, but the Chiefs could do better in terms of takeaways. Against the Raiders, the Chiefs have covered the spread in 12 of their last 17 meetings away from Arrowhead Stadium, and the Raiders have covered just twice in their last seven home games.
Why the Raiders Will Win
The Raiders have clearly taken a big step forward this year as part of Jon Gruden's rebuild, but Las Vegas is just 2-2 in their last four home games. Derek Carr is having his best season since 2016, when he led the Raiders to the brink of an AFC West title before going down to injury. He has an impressive 16:2 TD:INT ratio; the only knock on him is that he remains too willing to take the dump-off passes that the defenses give him, which was one reason why the Patriots were able to beat the Raiders in the early going. Tailback Josh Jacobs has 700 yards in nine games, with eight touchdowns, giving Carr some offensive balance.
On defense, Jeff Heath leads the team with three interceptions in what has been a throwback season for him. Cory Littleton leads the team with 48 tackles, and the team permits 26.8 points per game. Over the three-game winning streak, the Raiders have shown improvement on defense, but the Chiefs' defense has improved as well.
The Final Word
We see Kansas City coming in with a chip on their shoulder, having had the bye to get ready for the Raiders. Look for the Chiefs to cover in a convincing win.
Bet on NFL football at JazzSports and get a cash bonus to win more.