Arrowhead Pride
Before the Week 6 game against the Detroit Lions, all but one of our panelists called for the Kansas City Chiefs to emerge victorious. As a group, we expected the Chiefs to win 32-28 — a prediction that had 22 points of error from Kansas City’s 31-17 win. Our readers were less confident. 42% of them thought Detroit would win.
In Week 7, the Chiefs host the Las Vegas Raiders on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Kansas City is favored by 12.5 points.
Let’s see what the staff — and our readers — think about the matchup.
I’ve been terrible picking these games this year, so me being very confident in the Chiefs this week might be a bad sign — but I don’t see how Kansas City loses this one.
The Raiders are not a good football team. On offense, it starts with their poor offensive line. They can’t run block or pass protect. They’re constantly in third-and-long situations with wide receivers who can’t win one-on-one.
On defense, outside of Maxx Crosby, they don’t have a single high-impact starter. They’re playing a bunch of low-end free agents at every position. With how Kansas City’s offense is rolling, nothing Crosby does should derail them — even though he’s a fantastic player. There are too many holes elsewhere.
I expect an easy Chiefs win.
Chiefs 34, Raiders 20
You know me — I’m always antsy about divisional games. But this one doesn’t feel that way. I think the Chiefs’ defensive line will generate pressure, and the secondary can grab an interception or two. The offense is continuing to gel, and I see Rashee Rice making a couple of big plays on a limited snap count.
Kansas City should win this game comfortably — but as the old saying goes, the score will be a lot closer than the game indicated.
Chiefs 29, Raiders 20
Though their records are close, these teams are clearly trending in opposite directions. Kansas City appears to be improving each week, while Las Vegas continues to struggle for consistency.
On paper, this should be a game Kansas City controls. Still, divisional games often play tighter than expected, and the long-standing rivalry can create some unpredictable moments. Even so, I expect the Chiefs’ defense to make a statement. Geno Smith has already thrown 10 interceptions this season — and I predict he’ll add two more on Sunday.
With Rashee Rice returning, much of the focus will be on the passing game, but this feels like a prime opportunity for the rushing attack to finally break loose. Expect Kansas City to dominate on both sides of the ball, forcing turnovers and establishing rhythm early.
Chiefs 28, Raiders 13
This would typically be a letdown spot for Kansas City against a struggling Raiders team, but I don’t see that being the case this time.
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