- For the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders, this Thursday night marks the biggest stage this rivalry has seen on some time.
As the Chiefs flew back to KC after a thrilling victory over Atlanta Falcons there was a player already studying tape on the Raiders. After playing the best game of his career in his hometown and family, he was back to studying. He didn’t take time to enjoy the game he had just played. The game he won for KC that included the first Chiefs interception for a touchdown and 2-point INT for a TD in the same game. Instead he focused on the next task at hand in the Oakland Raiders.
None of that surprises me about Eric Berry. He has always been the consummate pro and has been a staple of the Chiefs defense since he was drafted. His pass coverage has improved over the past couple of seasons. He is still laying the lumber as a strong safety and a bone crushing run defender. As the Chiefs prepare on a short week for the Raiders in Arrowhead, Berry shows the team what he expects of them.
Kansas City is in a position they haven’t been in in a very long time. They have the ability to take a game and lead on the Raiders in the race for the AFC West. While the Chiefs haven’t been chasing the Raiders in the standings in Reid’s time in KC, they have been chasing the Broncos. Kansas City finds itself still in the trail position in a season in which many thought they were finally ready to step into the bright lights and be the division champion.
None of this is to say that what the Chiefs have done to this point hasn’t been amazing because it certainly has. Kansas City is sitting at 9-3 after playing the entire season without their best offensive player, and their best defensive player for the first nine games of the season. They’ve missed a combined 65 games from their starters this season. What the Chiefs have been able to do regardless of the key injuries is astounding.
When the Raiders and the Chiefs take the field the temperature is supposed to be in the teens. Arrowhead will be raucous from the kickoff and the Raiders are going to have a hard time hearing anything at the line of scrimmage on offense. The Oakland offensive line is their biggest strength that probably isn’t getting enough credit but I expect several false starts on Thursday night.
Derek Carr comes to Kansas City with a record of 1-4 against the Chiefs so far in his young career. His sole win against the Chiefs came as a rookie with a huge game from Latavius Murray. It was the game that Eric Berry went out injured and then found out in the coming days that he had cancer. Carr has yet to throw for 300 yards against the Chiefs. Only one time has he had multiple TDs against the Chiefs in five games. He’s currently averaging a touchdown and a little over a score and interception per game. This will be a big game for Carr to prove himself.
For KC, this is the biggest game the franchise has had in years. Yes I mean even more than the playoff games. Kansas City is in a position to really make a run this year. With a win on Thursday night in KC the Chiefs own a big tiebreaker against the Raiders. The head to head match-up moves to 2-0 and the Chiefs move to 4-0 in the division. A win Thursday also gets them a big step closer to a first round bye and potentially home field advantage. The Patriots have a tough schedule down the stretch having to go to Denver and finishing in Miami. If they stumble KC could be in position to host games until the Superbowl.
The Raiders still travel to Denver and San Diego. They also have a home game against the Colts thrown in there, but they couldn’t catch KC in the division. Oakland has a great team with a bright young potential star in Derek Carr. They look poised to give the Chiefs trouble in the division for the next several years.
The way you consistently win in the NFL is by being the most prepared. Looking ahead at next weeks game after just winning the biggest game of the year two weeks in a row is how you become a legitimate Superbowl contender. Eric Berry is the heart and soul of this team. As he goes the team goes. Berry knows what’s at stake. He will be ready to lay the lumber on Thursday night in front of a crazed crowd in Arrowhead.