Carding the 9-3 Kansas City Chiefs: Are they who they say they are?

After a thrilling 29-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, the Kansas City Chiefs have a quick turnaround to a Thursday night pairing with the division-leading Oakland Raiders. It sets up as perhaps the biggest game under John Dorsey-Andy Reid administration. The winner takes firm control of the division and takes a big step toward one of the top two seeds in the AFC playoff picture. It’s tough to imagine the losing team failing to qualify for the postseason, but they may be doing so as a wildcard.

The Chiefs appear to have the edge on paper. They won the initial matchup with the Raiders and have the re-match on their home field. The team will be healthier than it was in the first contest. It also helps that the Chiefs aren’t the traveling team this time around. The last TNF contest between the two teams worked out in Oakland’s favor (a 24-20 victory at the O.co Coliseum). Both teams are superior to their 2014 selves and are currently among the Top 5 teams in the National Football League.