Chiefs-Raiders rivalry to bid Bay Area farewell after Sunday’s game in Oakland

It’s only one game, but the Chiefs are on schedule.

Their season-opening victory at Jacksonville showcased an offense that could be better than last year’s unit, which led the NFL in points and yards, and a defense displaying elements of improvement.

With this week’s visit to Oakland, the Chiefs will look to improve to 2-0 for the third straight season. The Raiders opened their season Monday night with a 24-16 home victory over the Denver Broncos.

The details

Kickoff: 3 p.m. (Central), Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum

TV/Radio: CBS (Ch. 5), KCFX (101.1 FM)

Line: Chiefs by 9 1/2

Is this the final trip to Oakland for the Chiefs, and everyone else in the NFL? The Raiders are scheduled to move to Las Vegas next season, and although the franchise spent 13 seasons in Los Angeles in the 1980s and 1990s, the best years of the Chiefs-Raiders rivalry were about Kansas City vs. Oakland.

They were the kingpins of the AFL when the league merged with the NFL, and that’s when their rivalry was defined. Will Kansas City-Las Vegas have the same ring?

The Chiefs have had the upper hand lately, going 10-2 in the Andy Reid era. John Gruden begins his second year as head coach and Mike Mayock his first year as general manager.

The franchise has been the center of national attention for weeks, first for its weekly presence on HBO’s Hark Knocks and throughout camp with the drama of wide receiver Antonio Brown, who the Raiders acquired in a trade from the Steelers in March, only to release him over weekend. Brown is now a member of the Patriots.

None of that served as a distraction in the Raiders’ opener. The Raiders won impressively over the Broncos. Quarterback Derek Carr completed 22 of 28 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown, rookie running back Josh Jacobs rushed for two touchdowns and the defense pitched a first-half shutout.

“(Brown) is gone; I wish him the best,” Carr said after the game. “There’s no hurt feelings. There’s no anger in me. It stung as a friend to see him go elsewhere but I wish him the best.”

This story was originally published September 10, 2019 at 12:01 PM.