Raiders at Chiefs injury update, scouting report, prediction for Week 5
RAIDERS-CHIEFS AT A GLANCE
Kickoff: 10 a.m. PDT Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium
Fresno TV/radio: KGPE-47/KFIG & KFPT (940 AM & 790 AM)
Records: Raiders 2-2; Chiefs 4-0
Line: Chiefs by -11.5
The matchup
The Raiders are in midst of a tough schedule at the early part of the season.
This time, the Raiders head into Arrowhead Stadium to face the defending Super Bowl champions.
Arrowhead hasn’t been too nice to the Raiders, who have dropped the past seven games there.
The Raiders’ last win in Kansas City was in 2012, a 26-16 victory led by two Carson Palmer touchdown passes and four Sebastian Janikowski field goals.
The Raiders have lost 10 of the past 11 games to the Chiefs.
Turnovers also have been a problem for the Raiders at Arrowhead.
Derek Carr has seen his struggles there, too, completing 133 of 234 for 1,151 yards and four touchdowns against seven interceptions. He’s been sacked 19 times, fumbled six times with two fumbles lost.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden cited the team as a whole as the reason for the struggles in Kansas City.
“Derek’s going to hear it until we do it,” Gruden said. “But, he’s the biggest reason I think we have a chance to do it. We have to play better around him. We can’t turn the ball over. If you look at the turnover ratio in the four games since I’ve been back coaching against Kansas City, it is almost embarrassing.
“The Raiders, Chiefs, I remember when I came back here, we had struggled against the Chiefs for a long time and wouldn’t you know we’re back to that fact. So, we have to fix it ourselves and we have to do it as a team.”
Said Chiefs coach Andy Reid: (Derek Carr) had a lot of change in his career here. In short periods of times, in bursts, he’s had a few different coaches, but Jon Gruden’s a great football coach and Derek is a great football player. So, he is playing good, and like I mentioned, our defense has worked hard this week in preparation. I think they do a lot of unique things and I’m just taking time to make sure that we get all that down.”
Raiders running back Josh Jacobs has rushed for 203 yards (101.5 per game) in two career games against the Chiefs.
Wide receiver Nelson Agholor has a touchdown reception in his lone game against the Chiefs. That took place in 2017.
Linebacker Cory Littleton has a pass deflection in 3 of 4 career games vs. AFC West.
Cornerback Trayvon Mullen had two pass deflections in last meeting against the Chiefs.
The Raiders’ pass and rush defense ranks 23rd and 24th, respectively.
Las Vegas will be without defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Jr., who was placed on the COVID-19 list earlier this week.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, is off to a quick start after defeating the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots.
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes has played well against teams that blitz. Just ask the Ravens.
Mahomes completed 17 of 21 passes for for 219 yards and three touchdowns.
The New England Patriots hardly did much of that. Result: Chiefs 26-10.
“I thought the offensive line did a good job,” Mahomes said Wednesday. “There was a couple times I was drifting a little bit and so I threw better at working within the pocket especially when they’re only rushing three or four pass rushers, I can trust in them and then just getting the ball out of my hands and finding the right reads.
In four career games against the Raiders, Mahomes has 12 touchdowns (11 pass, 1 rush) and a 113.6 rating.
Rooking running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire leads all rookies with 304 rush yards this season.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill is eyeing a third consecutive game against the Raiders of at least 5 catches and 50+ receiving yards.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end Frank Clark has a sack against the Raiders in the past two games.
The Raiders will see familiar faces in guard Kelechi Osemele and running back DeAndre Washington.
Injury report
Raiders - OUT: WR Bryan Edwards (foot/ankle). QUESTIONABLE: T Trent Brown (calf), WR Henry Ruggs III (knee/hamstring), DT Maliek Collins (shoulder/illness), WR Rico Gafford (hamstring).
Chiefs - OUT: DE Mike Danna (hamstring).
Prediction
The Raiders started off 2-0, but lost the past two games to the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills.
It obviously doesn’t get much easier in facing their AFC West foe.
The final scores at Arrowhead since 2013 weren’t all too great, minus the two close games: 24-7, 31-13, 34-31, 21-13, 26-15, 35-3 and 40-9.
The bright spot for the Raiders is not playing in cold Kansas City weather. The forecast calls for sunny skies with a temperature of 84 degrees. Kickoff temperature is 77 degrees.
The Raiders are much more athletic, but so are the Chiefs.
I can see Derek Carr playing better this time around, but he needs to avoid the sacks and turnovers in Kansas City.
Unless the Raiders’ defense can tackle better and generate some turnovers, I can’t see the Raiders picking up a win before the bye week.
Prediction: Chiefs 33, Raiders 24 (Picks to date straight up, 3-1.)
