Chiefs vs. Raiders: Is This A Must-Win For Kansas City?
By Nick Floyd
Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Hey did you know the Kansas City Chiefs are 5-0? It seems that is the big talk this season, not only are the Chiefs playing well, they are shocking the NFL by being one of three unbeaten teams.
Week six find the Chiefs playing against arch rival the Oakland Raiders who come into Arrowhead with a 2-3 record, winning against AFC opponent San Diego the week before. The Raiders have not lost a game at Arrowhead since 2006, a streak the Chiefs hope to snap this weekend. The big question is, “Is this a must win for the Chiefs?” The short answer…Yes!
The reason this is a must win comes down to two very important reasons.
1. The Chiefs need to regain the edge at home against the Raiders.
The six game losing streak needs to snap, if nothing else for pride sake. This Chiefs team is not the teams of the past; they are effective on offense at moving the ball, and with Jamaal Charles and Alex Smith they have the ability to score points. The defense has shown that it is a force to be reckon with, and has made trouble for opposing teams, allowing a league low 11.6 points per game. For the Chiefs who are tied for first in the AFC West this is a must win to break the streak of losses against the Raiders at Arrowhead, which brings us to the second reason.
2. They need the win to keep pace with the Broncos.
If there is even a glimmer of hope about winning the AFC West they need to keep the pace up. The Denver Broncos are scoring points like mad right now and no team seems to have the answer to stopping this explosive offense. That is everyone but the Chiefs. Merrill Hoge this past week said the one team that has that ability is the Chiefs defense. The way they pressure the receivers and get to the quarterback is unmatched by any team, and if the Chiefs have any hope of stopping the Broncos they will need to keep this pressure up. This division could come down to which team has the edge over the other at the end of the year, so this week’s win is a must, if anything to keep pace with Denver.
What do you think Addicts? Is this a must win game for the Chiefs?