Chiefs-Raiders prediction: Trends favor Kansas City, but Chiefs never make things easy
The pivotal AFC West showdown no one expected has arrived in Week 13 with the Chiefs (7-4) playing host to the Oakland Raiders (6-5). Kansas City, the three-time division champion, figured to be here all along, but the Raiders, coming off a 4-12 season in coach Jon Gruden’s first year, did not.
Yet there they are with first place on the line.
Kickoff: 3:25 p.m., Arrowhead Stadium
TV/Radio: CBS (Ch. 5), KCFX (101.1 FM)
Line: Chiefs by 10
Blair Kerkhoff’s prediction: Chiefs 27-20
Trends point to a Chiefs triumph. They seek the season sweep over the Raiders and look to improve to 25-3 over division foes since 2015. No team has a better record against division opponents across the NFL in that span.
Andy Reid is 11-2 against the Raiders in his Chiefs tenure, and he’s 17-3 in his career after a bye week. But the Chiefs have tended to make things difficult this season. In their last two victories, they needed a final-minute interception to clinch a victory over the Chargers in Mexico City, and a final-play field goal to win their last home game, against the Vikings.
Nevertheless, says here the Chiefs get it done Sunday and put more distance between themselves and the rest of the AFC West. But it won’t be easy.
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 11:37 AM.