Thanksgiving is in the books, and Black Friday is upon us. Which doesn’t just mean an onslaught of holiday shopping, but another round of NFL action. A year after the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets went head to head in a Friday afternoon affair, we’ve got another divisional showdown on tap for this year’s “Black Friday” contest, with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the rival Las Vegas Raiders.
The Raiders pulled off an upset of the reigning Super Bowl champions last Christmas, when Antonio Pierce still carried the interim tag as Las Vegas’ coach. Now, he and Aidan O’Connell will try to make it two straight holiday matchups with a surprise victory over Patrick Mahomes and Co.
How can you tune in? Which players could be X factors? And who’s actually primed to win? Here’s our preview and sports betting prediction for the AFC West clash:
Chiefs vs. Raiders where to watch
Date: Friday, Nov. 29 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri)
Stream: Prime Video
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Chiefs -13, O/U 42.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Key matchups
- Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy vs. Raiders CB Decamerion Richardson: Kansas City’s offense has struggled to truly take off, but Worthy has flashed as a downfield option. Mahomes could have an even better chance of connecting with the rookie against a cornerback group that was without Jakorian Bennett in Week 11, forcing Richardson, a fourth-round rookie, into extensive playing time.
- Chiefs OT Jawaan Taylor vs. Raiders DE Maxx Crosby: Constantly under the microscope thanks to both a lofty contract and penchant for penalties, Taylor’s job probably won’t get any easier up against Crosby, who’s seeking his first sack since late October. Besides the recent dip in quarterback takedowns, Crosby’s remained arguably Las Vegas’ most reliable playmaker.
- Raiders OG Cody Whitehair vs. Chiefs DT Chris Jones: Whitehair is battling an injury at the heart of the Raiders’ front, which could bode well for Jones, already one of the game’s top disruptors up front. The star defensive lineman has had a down year by his standards, with just three sacks and five tackles for loss, but this could be a chance for him to significantly boost those numbers.
Burning questions
- Chiefs: Can Andy Reid’s offense separate itself? Kansas City ranks 10th in scoring, averaging 24.5 points per game, but amid injuries and sluggish starts, the reigning champions haven’t consistently jumped off the page. Antonio Pierce’s defense isn’t a total pushover, ranking fifth in yards allowed and seventh in points allowed, but has allowed at least 27 points in four straight matchups.
- Raiders: Can Aidan O’Connell steady the Raiders’ ship? With veteran Gardner Minshew sidelined for the rest of the year thanks to a broken collarbone, Las Vegas is making yet another quarterback switch, turning back to O’Connell, who’s coming off a prolonged injury of his own. He’s gone 5-7 as a starter across his first two NFL seasons, but beat the Chiefs as an underdog in 2023.
Prediction
Despite their 10-1 record, the Chiefs aren’t exactly a juggernaut right now. In fact, if not for more last-minute heroics by Mahomes in Week 11, the reigning champs were on pace to fall to Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers. The Raiders’ feisty defense should also make this divisional rematch a physical, grind-it-out game. And yet, in the battle between Mahomes and O’Connell, it’s hard not to trust the former to make the plays that matter. It may not be pretty, but the Chiefs have too much of an edge under center and on the sidelines to suggest they won’t hop to 11-1 going into Thanksgiving weekend. I’m betting they will.
Pick: Chiefs 24, Raiders 16
Bonus: SportsLine guru Mike Tierney, who is on an 11-3 roll on Raiders games, has released his best bets for the Week 13 Raiders vs. Chiefs matchup. We can tell you he’s leaning Over the point total, but who is he taking ATS?
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Author: Cody Benjamin
November 29, 2024 | 2:10 pm
