Here is who national experts predict will win Raiders-Chiefs Black Friday game
David vs. Goliath. Average Joe’s vs. Globo Gym. Hickory High vs. South Bend Central.
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce is hoping his team can follow in the footsteps of those famous underdogs on Black Friday.
“Let’s call a spade a spade, right?” Pierce told reporters this week. “The best team in football against the worst team in football. Let’s change the narrative, right? Let’s go out there and make it a dog fight. Let’s make it ugly. Let’s make it scrappy. It’s Black Friday. Let’s create a little chaos. Let’s get back to Raider football and have some fun and some personality. Let it loose.”
Will that translate into a victory? Here is who 59 experts are picking in the game, which starts at noon and is being broadcast on KHSB (Ch. 41) and streaming on Amazon Prime.
The Chiefs will win 29-14, says the Sporting News’ Bill Bender. This is from his story: “Kansas City remembers what happened in last year’s Christmas Day game at Arrowhead Stadium — a stunning 20-14 loss to Vegas. Kansas City is 0-4 (against the spread) when favored by seven points or more. This might be the surprise two-TD result we are not expecting.”
A 27-16 Chiefs victory is the call from the Associated Press’ Rob Maaddi. Here is a snippet from his story: “The struggling Raiders provide an opportunity for a lopsided victory. Las Vegas has lost seven straight and lost quarterback Gardner Minshew last week. The team will turn to Aidan O’Connell back off injured reserve to start on Black Friday.”
Picking the Chiefs are the seven USA Today writers: Jarrett Bell (27-20 final score), Chris Bumbaca (28-13), Nate Davis (31-13), Tyler Dragon (27-17), Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (30-10), Lorenzo Reyes (26-19) and Richard Morin (25-21). This is what Mendoza wrote: “You won’t make much money this season betting on the Chiefs to cover spreads week after week. Kansas City still has a nasty habit of playing with its food. It’ll get the win, rest assured, but proceed with caution when the spread is nearly two touchdowns large. Your Black Friday budget is better spent elsewhere.”
The Chiefs are the choice for all eight writers at CBS Sports: Pete Prisco, Will Brinson, Ryan Wilson, Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg, John Breech, Jared Dubin and Tyler Sullivan. Prisco predicts a 31-14 final. This is from his story: “The Raiders will start Aidan O’Connell here at quarterback after Gardner Minshew was lost for the year. That’s not a good thing against the Chiefs on the road. Kansas City hasn’t looked great this season, but this is the type of game that can get it rolling.”
The Chiefs are the choice for all 11 ESPN experts: Stephania Bell, Mike Clay, Jeremy Fowler, Kalyn Kahler, Moses Moody, Kimberly Martin, Jason Reid, Lindsey Thiry, Matt Bowen, Dan Graziano and Seth Wickersham.
Going with the Chiefs are five writers at NFL.com: Ali Bhanpuri (27-15 final score), Brooke Cersosimo (29-20), Dan Parr (26-16), Gennaro Filice (28-13) and Tom Blair (28-14). Here is part of what Cersosimo wrote: “Aidan O’Connell, who upset the Chiefs on Christmas Day last season, is back under center for the Raiders after missing a month-plus of action with a broken thumb. His play was fine prior to that injury — nothing spectacular — and maybe a change at QB is the spark Vegas needs after failing to score 20 points in either of its last two games. But the second-year passer must face a Chiefs D looking to tighten up down the stretch after allowing both the Bills and Panthers to rack up points. This one has Kansas City written all over it.”
Picking the Chiefs are each of the six Sports Illustrated writers: Albert Breer, Mitch Goldich, Gilberto Manzano, Conor Orr, John Pluym and Matt Verderame.
The Chiefs will win, say nine of 10 Dallas Morning-News members: Tim Cowlishaw, Joey Hayden, Kevin Sherrington, Abraham Nudelstejer, Craig Miller, Calvin Watkins, David Moore, Dana Larson, Damon Marx and Newy Scruggs,.
Picking the Chiefs are both Pro Football Talk writers: Mike Florio (23-17) and Chris Simms (28-13).
Taking the Chiefs are all eight Pro Football Network writers: David Bearman, Adam Beasley, Dakota Randall, Dallas Robinson, Kyle Soppe, Dan Tomaro, Mike Wobschall and Anthony DiBona.
This story was originally published November 29, 2024 at 6:01 AM.
