With a game that would have been a foregone conclusion earlier in the season, and to many experts still is, the Las Vegas Raiders will travel to Arrowhead Stadium hoping for a Christmas miracle against the Kansas City Chiefs. The oddsmakers have the odds stacked firmly against the Raiders, although this NFL season has managed to buck all expectations at every turn.
The Raiders have been a team of contrasts in recent weeks, going from playing in arguably the worst football game this century in a 3-0 collapse to the Minnesota Vikings to a dominant performance against the Los Angeles Chargers. The question heading into this game is whether the Chiefs will face the Raiders of last week or the Raiders of two weeks ago. The Chiefs have won the last six matchups in this rivalry, but considering the point in the season and Kansas City’s continued problems on offense, this game may be one primed just right for an upset. Kadarious Toney has remained a topic of discussion for Chiefs fans, tipping yet another pass for an interception. At this point, the real question is, why isn’t he benched already? With several costly drops and overall bad play, Toney has repeatedly found a way to keep their opponents in the game.
With the Chiefs now sitting as the third-division leader in the AFC, hopes of a playoff bye will need several results to go their way over the remaining weeks of the season. During the Patrick Mahomes era, the Chiefs have always had home-field advantage through the postseason. With the results not panning out quite as they hoped, they’ll need to see if they can win on the road on their path to a consecutive Super Bowl appearance. The Chiefs have transformed into a powerhouse since Mahomes took over the reins, with head coach Andy Reid using his playcalling acumen to invent plays that take advantage of the unique skills of his quarterback and other offensive talents.
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