Chiefs-Raiders prediction: Any reason to think Derek Carr’s luck changes in KC?
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr called Arrowhead Stadium one of the league’s toughest venues for opponents, but also one of his favorite — the noise, the atmosphere, the fans’ knowledge of the game.
“I’ve honestly always loved playing there,” he told Las Vegas media this past week.
Toughest? Makes sense.
Enjoyable? A bit surprising, considering his history there.
Carr is 1-6 in his career at Arrowhead Stadium, though that victory did come last season, a 40-32 win which preceded the notable victory lap.
In those seven starts, the Raiders have scored more than 17 points only once. He’s topped 230 yards just once. He’s thrown for multiple touchdowns just once.
You get the idea. There’s not a lot of reason to believe that this weekend will be any different.
The Chiefs are riding a five-game winning streak, and the Raiders have lost four of five. They are teams headed in opposite directions over the back half of the season. And to think: When these two teams met in Las Vegas just last month, they were playing for first place.
Things change quickly in this league.
The Chiefs blew out the Raiders 41-14 that night, and Patrick Mahomes threw for 406 yards and 5 touchdowns. He might not reach those numbers Sunday, but look for the Chiefs to continue their dominance over their rivals.
Kickoff: Noon (Central)
TV/radio: CBS (Ch. 5)/WDAF (106.5 FM)
Line: Chiefs by 10
Sam McDowell’s prediction: Chiefs 30-13