Week 14 kicks off with Derek Carr and the red-hot Raiders coming into Kansas City riding a six-game win streak. Oakland, now at 10-2, sits atop the AFC West but remains only one game ahead of the Chiefs.
Chiefs vs. Raiders 2016 live stream: How to watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ online
This week’s matchup features two high-flying AFC West rivals.
The second game of the season between the divisional rivals will air on NBC and NFL Network. Live streaming is available online on Twitter and NBC Sports.
Last week, the Raiders erased a 15-point second-half deficit to beat the Bills 38-24. Kansas City, on the other hand, narrowly escaped the Georgia Dome with a win, thanks to Eric Berry’s heroics. The Atlanta native’s pick off a botched two-point conversion put the Chiefs up 29-28 with 4:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, and it would be just enough to hold off the Falcons.
In his past five games, Carr has thrown for 11 touchdowns and been intercepted only twice, giving the Fresno State product a 95+ average QB rating. Latavius Murray is currently tied for third in the league with 11 rushing touchdowns, including two last week against the Bills. The 6’3, 230-pound running back can be counted on to score against the Chiefs, as he has three touchdowns in their past four meetings.
Amari Cooper also chipped in with 10 catches for 129 yards in the last outing against the Chiefs.
Defensive end Khalil Mack remains as threatening as ever. The 2014 first-round pick has 10 sacks, 11 tackles for a loss, and four forced fumbles in his past nine games. Mack leads the NFL with 25 sacks since the beginning of the 2015 season.
Kansas City’s Alex Smith has thrown 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions for an impressive 107.0 QB rating in his past nine career starts against the Raiders. Meanwhile, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has been on the receiving end of three touchdowns in the last three matchups between these two teams. Maclin has missed four games in a row because of a groin injury, but could be back in the lineup Thursday night.
Tight end Travis Kelce has been on fire as of late. The former Cincinnati Bearcat has hit 100 yards in the past three games and will aim to make it four in a row.
Smith’s performance in a 26-10 win over the Raiders in October may have been his most efficient passing game this season. He went 19-of-22 passing for an 86 percent completion rate. Running back Spencer Ware also rushed for a career-best 131 yards and a touchdown, adding 32 through the air for 163 scrimmage yards. Ware has rushed for a TD in the Kansas City’s past three games versus Oakland.
On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Justin Houston always wreaks havoc on the Raiders offense. The four-time Pro Bowler has registered a sack in their past three meetings, and looks to be in fine form at the moment after returning a few weeks ago from a offseason surgery. He’s had four sacks in his past two games.
Since their last matchup, these two teams have lost only once, and both seem destined for the playoffs. Clinching the division title, however, would carry more value, as the Chiefs last won the AFC West in 2010 and the Raiders in 2002.
It’s likely that the winner of this game will finish no lower than the No. 2 seed in the AFC, which means a bye and home-field advantage in the Divisional. So make no mistake, this is a game with huge playoff implications.
How to watch
Time: 8:25 p.m. ET
Place: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.
TV: NBC, NFL Network
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Heather Cox
Online: Twitter, NBC Sports Live
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