Here is who national experts are predicting will win Chiefs-Raiders game
For all the handwringing about how the Chiefs looked in a double-digit win over the New England Patriots on Monday, let’s not forget Kansas City has won 10 straight and that number is 13 if you add last year’s playoffs.
The Chiefs will look to extend their franchise record winning streak on Sunday when the Las Vegas Raiders visit. The Raiders, 2-2, have lost two straight after beating the Panthers and Saints to start the season.
Fifty-one experts from around the nation made predictions for Sunday’s game. Here are the picks and what they’re saying about the game, which kicks off at noon at Arrowhead Stadium and will be broadcast on KCTV (Ch. 5).
The Chiefs will win say both Mike Florio and Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Smith sees a 35-21 final score. This is part of what he wrote: “this game looks to me like a shootout in which the Raiders won’t have the ammunition to keep up.” Florio predicted a 38-20 score. He wrote: “The Chiefs need to re-establish themselves after a close call against the Patriots. They will.”
The Chiefs will beat the Raiders 35-20 writes Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com. This is an excerpt: “As if the Chiefs weren’t enough to deal with already, their defense ranks fifth in efficiency and could get back previously suspended starting cornerback Bashaud Breeland and injured pass rusher Chris Jones. That should be plenty against a Raiders team too often willing to trade long field goal drives for touchdowns, especially in this divisional mismatch.”
All of the eight CBS Sports experts believe the Chiefs will win: Jason La Canfora, John Breech, Will Brinson, Ryan Wilson, Jared Dubin, Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg and Pete Prisco. Prisco predicted a 36-19 final. This is part of what he wrote: “The Raiders have defensive issues, so look for Patrick Mahomes to get back on track in a big way. The Raiders won’t keep up.”
A Chiefs victory is the pick from half of six Bleacher Report writers. Gary Davenport, Matt Miller and Master Tesfatsion. Picking the Raiders: Brad Gagnon, Kalyn Kahler and Brent Sobleksi. Here is part of what Tesfatsion wrote: “Nine of out 10 times, I’m going to take a double-digit ‘dog in a divisional game. This is that 10th time. Assuming Patrick Mahomes doesn’t get COVID-19 (which is a wild thing to say), this Chiefs offense has more than enough firepower to cover a two-score spread. The Raiders have a ridiculously long injury list, and while Las Vegas has been able to be competitive in games this season, I don’t think it has enough to hang with Kansas City.”
A 35-22 Chiefs victory is the prediction from Bill Bender of the Sporting News. This is an excerpt of what he wrote: “Kansas City presents too many problems for a Las Vegas defense that has just four sacks in four games.”
All 10 experts at ESPN forecast a Chiefs victory: Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, Dan Graziano, Mina Kimes, Jason Reid, Laura Rutledge, Kevin Seifert, Seth Wickersham, Trey Wingo and Damien Woody.
Each of the six Sports Illustrated Monday Morning Quarterback writers picked the Chiefs: Connor Orr, Gary Gramling, Mitch Goldic, Albert Breer, Andrew Brandt and Jenny Vrentas.
All seven writers at USA Today see a Chiefs victory: Jarrett Bell (30-23 final score), Nate Davis (37-27), Jori Epstein (35-23), Mike Jones (34-26), Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz (41-24), Lorenzo Reyes (36-20) and Tom Schad (31-28).
The Chiefs will win say nine of the 10 SB Nation writers. Kyle Posey, James Dator, Pete Sweeney, RJ Ochoa, Jenna Thomas, Ed Valentine, Brandon Lee Gowton, David Fucillo and Ameer Tyree. The lone vote for the Raiders was cast by Alexis Chassen.
This story was originally published October 11, 2020 at 7:20 AM.
