Finally, it’s Thursday. This week on Thursday Night Football, we’ve got the 5-1 Chiefs visiting the 2-4 Raiders — a record we didn’t quite envision through six weeks for the silver and black.
5 reasons you should watch the Chiefs vs. Raiders on ‘Thursday Night Football’
This one doesn’t take nearly as much convincing as other games.
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
The Raiders have a prime opportunity to gain some ground in the division at home with a win against the Chiefs, but that’s not going to be an easy task. Kansas City has looked like the most complete team in the NFL, with an offense that has a thick arsenal.
On paper this doesn’t look like the best matchup, but there’s some serious potential for a good game on Thursday. Here’s why you should watch this particular poopfest.
Kareem the Dream
Kareem Hunt has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season. Not only because nobody expected a rookie out of Toledo to lead the NFL in rushing through six weeks, but because of the way he started his career.
It was easy to think on opening night when Hunt fumbled his first NFL carry against the Patriots that things weren’t going to go well for him. As it turns out that’s not what happened, or close to what has happened since then.
Look at this young man torching the Patriots defense and Super Bowl Hero Malcolm Butler in his first NFL game:
Hunt knows he has the sauce, too. He took a nap in the end zone as he put the Eagles to rest in Week 2:
Hunt has 630 yards on the season. The Raiders have the 21st run defense in the NFL. There’s a chance we could see him take off on Thursday night.
BEASTMODE, DUH!
Marshawn Lynch hasn’t gone off with wild stats this season, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still do things that make us love him.
Like flippin’ off the opposition:
Do we know why he did it? No. Does it matter? No, it doesn’t.
Look at our large adult son with not a care in the world while the Raiders were stomping all over the Jets.
That’s art.
Oh, and this is his first primetime game in Oakland, his hometown. Before the season, he said, “Every home game that I get to come to this motherfucker, I’m probably going to be riding with this whole town. This is actually born and raised and bred pissing in them hallways and running down them alleyways. I really did that, right here and now I get an opportunity to play here.”
We might see a whole new BeastMode Thursday night. If they win, he can celebrate with the sweet nectar that is Hennessy.
It’s a rivalry game, and Oakland needs a win
No for real, they need a W. Falling to 2-5 in that division means they’ll basically be playing for the wild card at best. The Chiefs would be moving on to 6-1, and the Broncos are traveling to Los Angeles to play the Chargers at the entire NFL’s second home field. They’ll likely walk out of there at 4-2.
The Chiefs and Raiders played their first game in September of 1960, back when the Chiefs were known as the Dallas Texans. Since then, the Chiefs lead the series 62-52-2. The Chiefs have had the Raiders’ number as of late, winning the past five matchups dating back to 2014, and seven of eight since 2013.
If there’s a time to break that streak for the Raiders, it’s Thursday night. But the Chiefs are the hardest out in the NFL right now, and Oakland hasn’t showed much promise lately.
The game is in Oakland, in October
This is going to be one huge Halloween party.
Oakland Raiders fans dress up for games for at least the eight Sundays they get to see their team each season. It really doesn’t matter the costume — as long as it’s silver and black, you fit right in with the rest of Raider Nation.
Tell me this doesn’t look like fun, and it’s from September:
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Hopefully the NFL Network/CBS broadcast doesn’t let us down, and gives plenty of crowd shots to show the creative fans in Oakland.
The most fun punter in the league
That’s Marquette King, of course. He loves dressing up in costumes, talking a bunch of smack, and dancing after his booming punts.
“Nobody’s better than me, nobody looks better than me, and it’s whatever.” King told SB Nation last season, “After that, I don’t think about nothing else, I just do it.”
Look at him just kicking ... anything:
King’s out there to have fun, and nothing else matters. Though you probably won’t see him doing this again:
But he’s still going to celebrate. He told SB Nation that after he hits a good punt, “I feel like I’m going to just explode into confetti.”
We might see some confetti from King on Thursday night.
Enjoy the poopfest!
Marquette King rides a dinosaur
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