Thursday Night Football Week 12: TV Schedule, Live Stream for Chiefs vs. Raiders

A trap game is a staple of any NFL contender's season. On the Week 12 edition of Thursday Night Football, the Kansas City Chiefs get one on the road against the Oakland Raiders. 

These two rivals go way back, but the writing seems to be on the wall this time around. Andy Reid's Chiefs have won seven of their last eight and pair an elite ground game with a savvy quarterback and a defense that can rush any passer well.

Not only have the Raiders bumbled their way through another rebuilding season, but the front office has changed head coaches, and what is now Tony Sparano's team is on the cusp of staring 0-16 in the face.

But again, this has a trap feel to it. This is especially the case on a Thursday, so strap up for a ground-based affair that may wind up closer than most would expect.

Game Info

When: Thursday, November 20, 8:25 p.m. ET

Where: O.co Coliseum, Oakland, California

Watch: NFL Network

Live Stream: NFL.com

Betting Info: (via Odds Shark)

• Over/Under: 43
• Spread: Kansas City (-8)

Storylines to Watch

Riding the Ground Game

It is boring to talk about the Kansas City ground game.

Boring as in, no drama. But it's brutally effective. Jamaal Charles (692 yards, eight touchdowns) combines with Knile Davis (421 yards, five scores) to form the league's fourth-best rushing attack. Against the league's 27th rush defense, both should have few issues Thursday night.

What is not boring? The Raiders rushing attack, which ranks dead last in the NFL with an average of just 63.0 yards per game.

The combo of Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew would have scared foes back in 2010 or so, but not anymore. The former has averaged 3.3 yards per carry since the 2012 season, and both have combined for an average of less than two over the course of their past three games.

Beck Diefenbach/Associated Press

As Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle points out, though, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel in this regard:

A team that is desperate to get its first win of the season in Week 12 is willing to try anything, so expect to see a heavy dosage of former sixth-round pick Latavius Murray. The Central Florida product ripped off 43 yards on just four opportunities last week.

While the Chiefs have not allowed a rushing touchdown in quite some time, they do rank 31st in terms of yards per carry allowed, surrendering 4.8 per rush. Murray might just be in for a breakout game under the national microscope, which may in turn lead to this game being surprisingly competitive.

Gunning for Respect

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

The NFL world seems to have a love-hate relationship with Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith. 

Many will point out that Smith has yet to toss a touchdown to a receiver this year and that he leans on an elite ground game to find success.

But when called upon, it is quite apparent that Smith is the right man for the job. He has completed 66.3 percent of his passes this season for 1,977 yards and 11 touchdowns to four interceptions. He rises to the occasion, too, having thrown a trio of touchdowns apiece against the strong secondaries of Miami and New England in what turned out to be marquee wins.

Then again, many will point out numbers brought up by ESPN Stats & Info:

Smith takes few risks and is not a flashy player who guns it down field. If it is working, where is the harm in that?

Thursday is a more difficult test than most would expect, though. For all of the Raiders' faults this season, the team does play the pass very well and ranks 12th in the league in that regard. Smith is certainly aware of the challenges he faces on a short week, as he told Raiders.com:

"

You look at what they did last week against San Diego and really shutting them down for the most part and flying around. They do it a lot on defense. They throw a lot at you from a quarterback’s perspective and give you a lot to handle. And tough up front and a pretty veteran group in the secondary.

"

In a run-first contest with no marquee quarterback, especially with Oakland starting rookie Derek Carr, Smith is the main attraction at the position and might just be tasked with taking the game into his own hands when it matters. 

Smith's ability to smoothly complement his strong ground game against a solid pass defense and rush may decide the game outright, so keep a close eye on the former No. 1 overall pick.

Note: Stats courtesy of NFL.com. All advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).