Despite the fact that the Chiefs represent the worst game of the season for the Raiders by a long shot, the two teams are incredibly similar is many, many ways.
The first area they show great similarities are on defense. Neither team has done well to stop opposing offenses from moving the football. Both are near the bottom of the league in yards allowed.
Defense
Raiders 30th 389 ypg
Chiefs 29th 385 ypg
Pass defense
Raiders 24th 265 ypg
Chiefs 22nd 263 ypg
Run defense
Raiders 29th 125 ypg
Chiefs 27th 122 ypg
There is one area where the Chiefs have performed better from a defensive standpoint and that’s points.
Points allowed
Raiders 22nd 25 ppg
Chiefs 9th 20 ppg
If you’re wondering how these two teams can give up the yards they give up and still have winning records, there is somewhat simple explanation…
Turnover ratio
Raiders 3rd +12
Chiefs 1st +14
Takeaways
Raiders 7th 21
Chiefs 1st 25
Giveaways
Raiders 4th 9
Chiefs 9th 11
Those who follow the Raiders know about their penchant for come-from-behind victories. In 8 of the Raiders 10 wins this season, they trailed at some point. Derek Carr has also set an NFL record with 5 game winning touchdown passes.
What you may not know is the Chiefs have also had a penchant for the comeback win this season. These two teams lead the league in a very important category.
Come-from-behind wins when trailing by at least a TD (opponents and deficit overcome)
Raiders 1st 6 (NO 14, SD 8, TB 10, HOU 7, CAR 8, BUF 15)
Chiefs 1st 6 (SD 21, OAK 7, NO 7, CAR 17, DEN 8, ATL 7)
Those are the many ways in which these two teams are similar.
If you want to see where these teams differ, just look to the offense, where the Raiders are among the best in the league in every category and the Chiefs are among the worst.
Offense
Raiders 5th 392 ypg
Chiefs 22nd 333 ypg
Pass offense
Raiders 4th 277.1
Chiefs 21st 234.6
Rush offense
Raiders 7th 115 ypg
Chiefs 26th 99 ypg
Scoring
Raiders 3rd 28.8
Chiefs 15th 23.4
The primary issues the Chiefs have faced on offense have been the injuries to Jamaal Charles and Jeremy Maclin. Those absences may not matter on Thursday, however.
Maclin is returning to the lineup this week for the first time since missing the past four games with a groin injury.
The Chiefs run game is terrible, but Spencer Ware gouged the Raiders in their meeting in week six and the Chiefs put up 183 yards on the ground – the best output of the season by the Chiefs and up until last week the most rushing yards the Raiders had given up this season as well.
It’s clear that the one area the Raiders have the advantage is passing offense. They weren’t able to get it going against the Chiefs the last time they faced each other and with the temperature in Kansas City expected to hover around 15 degrees, the vertical game may be limited to mostly short and intermediate stuff, which is how the Chiefs typically run their offense.
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