There’s a chance the Chiefs’ playoff opponent could be the Oakland Raiders
The following sentence may induce memories of Jim Mora’s famous “Playoffs?!?!” screed from nearly two decades ago.
But the Oakland Raiders are still alive for the playoffs. The Raiders need help to get there, but it could set up a potential playoff meeting with the Chiefs.
No lie.
The Raiders (7-8) had a perfect Sunday, and that’s not just because they beat the Chargers. To stay alive, they needed some specific outcomes in Sunday’s games.
They all happened:
That sets up a scenario for the Raiders to make the playoffs if four other results happen in Week 17:
If those four games turn out in Oakland’s favor, the Raiders, Titans, Colts and Steelers would all finish with an 8-8 record.
Oakland would get the postseason spot because:
- The Colts would eliminate Tennessee by having a better division record
- The Raiders beat the Colts
- Oakland would have a better strength of victory than the Steelers
At this point, the New York Times’ NFL playoff outlook gives the Raiders a 7% chance of making the playoffs.
Should the Raiders squeeze into the postseason field, they would be the No. 6 seed and would face the third-seeded team. At this point, that’s the Chiefs.
How does Round 3 of Chiefs-Raiders in the 2019 season sound?
Raiders quarterback Derek Carr is all for it.
“Let’s not sugarcoat it, we’ve been through a lot. To say we are still playing in Week 17 for something, that’s unbelievable,” Carr told reporters Sunday after the Raiders’ 24-17 win over the Chargers. “No one thought we would be playing for the playoffs. Let’s just keep it real.”
A lot can happen, of course. The Chiefs are still alive for the No. 2 seed (if they beat the Chargers and Patriots lose to Dolphins) or could fall to the No. 4 seed (if the Chargers win and the Texans beat the Titans).
And, of course, Drew Lock and the Broncos could beat the Raiders and end their season.
That would make all this Raiders in the playoffs talk moot.
This story was originally published December 23, 2019 at 10:22 AM.
