The Oakland Raiders have only lost two games this season, falling to the high-flying Atlanta Falcons in Week 2 and the Kansas City Chiefs four games later. But by and large, they have been dominant and find themselves on top of the AFC West.
Raiders vs. Chiefs: Time, TV schedule for ‘Thursday Night Football’
The Chiefs beat the Raiders the first time around, and can take the lead in the AFC West if they do it again on Thursday.
But Kansas City and Oakland will face off in primetime on Thursday Night Football in Week 14 with the division on the line. The game begins at 8:25 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast on NFL Network and NBC, with a live stream available via Twitter and NBC Sports.
The Chiefs are one game behind the Raiders and have that win over them, so another win would put them atop the division. The Raiders, on the other hand, can get a stranglehold on the AFC West with a victory on Thursday.
It’s worth noting the Denver Broncos are still in very good shape and in the running, though they are two games behind the Raiders, and the defending Super Bowl champions may be competing more for a wild card spot. Needless to say, three teams from the AFC West making it to the postseason is a real possibility.
Right now, Oakland technically holds the top spot in the entire AFC thanks to an eventual tiebreak with the New England Patriots. We’re at the point where seeding is a topic of conversation, and the Raiders would love to secure home field advantage for the playoffs.
Oakland being in the running for that honor still feels weird. It’s been a long time since the Raiders were competitive, long enough that they were in the “joke” category for the past several years. Poor drafting and terrible free agent signings were the Raiders’ specialty, but slowly, the organization has turned things around.
The Raiders no longer spend more than any other team in free agency on overpriced veterans, and they don’t just draft the fastest player by default. A young core led by Khalil Mack on defense and the pair of Derek Carr and Amari Cooper on offense has the Raiders in position to compete for years to come.
Kansas City has found surprising success with Alex Smith at quarterback over the years. Smith is playing well, but he’s still Alex Smith, and comes with all the trappings of a game manager quarterback. He doesn’t throw for a ton of yards, but he’s careful with the football, and the Chiefs have done enough on the other side of the ball to field a complete, dangerous team.
The Chiefs are riding a two-game winning streak, beating the Broncos and Falcons. They will play the Broncos again and have a tough game against the Tennessee Titans in Week 15, so a win now is likely necessary to have a shot at the AFC West.
Oakland has won its last six games and will also play the Broncos again before the end of the year. The AFC West could still come down to the wire, but the Raiders would take a massive step forward by winning on Thursday.
Below is all you need to know to watch Thursday’s showdown.
How to Watch Raiders vs. Chiefs on Thursday
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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