Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Complete Week 15 Preview for Oakland
The Oakland Raiders are coming off of what was by far their most impressive game of the season. It really was a dominant performance. The question now is whether the team can repeat it.
The offense had a breakout game, and it just might have signaled that the unit finally turned the corner. At times, it has shown that it has potential, but it could never sustain a high level of play.
But Derek Carr looked like the quarterback the Raiders thought they were getting when they drafted him. Equally important, Mychal Rivera and Marcel Reece showed that when given the opportunity, they can affect the outcome of a game.
The defense once again put in a winning effort, something that's become more and more common. Like fellow rookie Carr, Khalil Mack had an impressive game, turning in the first multi-sack game of his career. The unit overall was disruptive, and it imposed its will more and more as the game progressed.
Back in Week 12, the Raiders picked up their first win, but they failed to build off of it. They instead followed it up with one of the worst performances in the team's history.
Here's how they can avoid a repeat of that drop-off and instead continue to move in the right direction against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 14 Recap
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What a difference a week makes. Again.
Three weeks ago, the Raiders finally got their first win. The following week, they were completely embarrassed. So how did they follow that up last week? With a dominant 24-13 win over the rival San Francisco 49ers.
Offensively, it was the coming-out party for Derek Carr, Mychal Rivera and Marcel Reece.
Carr was surgical all game, finishing 22-of-28 for 254 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. San Francisco tried different approaches, but nothing worked. No matter what the 49ers did, Carr had the answer as he methodically picked the defense apart.
The offense has struggled to find a consistent receiving threat, and Rivera stepped into the role. He had the best game of his career, as he caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown.
He's still a work in progress as a blocker, but he proved that he can be counted on to be dangerous as a receiver. No matter whom the 49ers put on him, he was able to beat the coverage and find open spaces.
After perpetually being the forgotten man, Reece was finally featured in the offensive game plan, and he showed that this should be an every-week occurrence. He turned seven receptions into 64 yards and his first touchdown of the season.
Heading into the game, the Raiders knew that the San Francisco linebackers were weak in coverage. They used Rivera and Reece to attack this weakness, and it proved to be the difference.
The 49ers offense also had some glaring weaknesses, and the Raiders exploited these. The defensive ends did a good job all game of containing Colin Kaepernick, forcing him to beat them with his arm. As many suspected, he wasn't able to do so. The Oakland pass rush took advantage, and the Raiders totaled five sacks, including two from Khalil Mack.
When Kaepernick did get passes off, he was rendered ineffective. The Oakland defense picked him off twice, and the unit held him to 18-of-33 passing for only 174 yards and one touchdown.
The team played well on both sides of the ball. Most importantly, it wasn't a fluke. The team had a solid game plan, and the victory was the result of the players' ability to execute it.
News and Notes
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Is the Future of the Oakland Offense Already Here?
Derek Carr just had the best game of his career. But any quarterback can have a good game. The question is whether that level of play can be sustained. According the Contra Costa Times' Jerry McDonald, Carr's performance was just a sample of things to come.
McDonald points out a particular play in which Carr scrambled to his left. Rather than panicking, he looked off the defender, directed his receiver and completed a pass downfield to Rivera for a big gain.
It was only one play, but it exhibited a level of maturity and an understanding of the game not usually seen from a rookie. And it exemplifies the way Carr played the entire game. For four quarters, he dominated one of the NFL's better defenses, as he was in complete control of his offense.
Was Carr's performance a sign of things to come? The Raiders are betting that it is.
Sio the Mouth
Sio Moore has never been bashful. One of the things that has most endeared him to Raiders fans is the passion he plays with. Unfortunately, it can sometimes get the best of him.
Back in Week 12, it was celebrating 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage as the opposing offense got set to run a play with the game on the line. This past week, it was talking trash after the game.
Following the game, Moore posted a picture on Instagram, and he included a caption in which he referred to Colin Kaepernick as a "chump." This can be seen as immature and foolish. But Tony Sparano prefers to see it as passionate, so long as it doesn't hurt the team (via McDonald):
"I love Sio's energy, and I love his passion. It's necessary. I want my team to play that way. It's just there's a fine line between that and not playing smart football all the time."
By now, it should be known that this is who Moore is. He talks smack, he dances on the field and he's always going to celebrate a big play. The key now is to get him to focus it on productive play, not making headlines for the wrong reasons.
The Sad Case of Denarius Moore
It's been that kind of year for Denarius Moore.
Once considered a key part of Oakland's future at wide receiver, Moore's falling out of favor within the organization has been both disappointing and sad to watch. He's experienced a steady drop on the depth chart, leading to him being inactive several games despite being healthy.
Now, he actually is injured. Given the season he's had, it's not surprising that it didn't even happen while playing football. ESPN.com's Bill Williamson reports that Moore hurt his knee and ankle after tripping and falling down some stairs in the team's hotel last week.
The writing has been on the wall for several weeks now. Moore's days with Oakland are likely numbered. And given the way his career has gone, it's not a total surprise that his season and time with the Raiders might end in such inglorious fashion.
Streater Not Returning After All?
It appears that Rod Streater's season might be over after all. In recent weeks, he had been practicing at full speed. It appeared that he might be ready to return from the injured/designated for return list. But CSNBayArea.com's Scott Bair reported that Streater missed practice this week due to soreness in his surgically repaired foot.
The timing couldn't be worse, as the Raiders only have until Monday to decide whether to reactivate him or move him to season-ending injured reserve.
Streater has been pushing to get back on the field, and he's been eligible to be reactivated for weeks. However, the coaches still weren't sure he had returned to full strength. Now it appears that their apprehensions were accurate.
It's a disappointing development for a player who began the season as one of Oakland's starting wide receivers. But with only three games left and no chance of making the playoffs, there's no reason to risk further injury.
Holding him out for the rest of season, even if it's just as a precaution, is the smart thing to do.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Denarius Moore | WR | Questionable |
| Brian Leonhardt | TE | Questionable |
| Menelik Watson | RT | Questionable |
| Tarell Brown | CB | Questionable |
| Pat Sims | DT | Questionable |
| Larry Asante | S | Questionable |
| Chimdi Chekwa | CB | Questionable |
| Andre Holmes | WR | Questionable |
| Sio Moore | LB | Probable |
| Neiko Thorpe | CB | Probable |
The Raiders have a long list of players who have missed practice this week: Denarius Moore, Leonhardt, Watson, Brown, Sims and Asante.
Denarius Moore just can't seem to catch a break. He's already played his way not only out of games, but off the active roster on game days. He's been a healthy scratch the last few games.
It looks like he'll be out again, but this time for a reason. Bair reported that "Moore got hurt tripping over some stairs at the team hotel prior to Sunday’s win over the 49ers."
He's missed practice all week. Whether he's able to play or not, the Raiders won't be in any hurry to get him back. He was unlikely to play even if healthy.
Leonhardt is still dealing with a concussion. For now, it's looking as if he'll once again be replaced on the active roster by rookie Scott Simonson. However, Mychal Rivera will once again handle all tight end duties. If Simonson does get on the field, it'll be as an occasional blocker and on special teams.
Watson's still out with the foot and ankle injury. But in his absence last week, the offensive line had its best performance. The team will be comfortable with Khalif Barnes once again filling in at right tackle.
When Brown went down against the 49ers, it looked bad, but he was somehow back on the field just a few plays later and actually finished the game. Unfortunately, he hasn't progressed throughout the week, and it's looking more and more unlikely that he'll be available on Sunday.
This will force D.J. Hayden into the role of Oakland's No. 1 cornerback. It's the role he was drafted to play, and he'll get his first opportunity to show whether or not he's ready for the responsibility. T.J. Carrie will move up to No. 2.
Unfortunately, the Raiders are already thin at the position. Brown's absence will leave the team with only four active cornerbacks, and Chekwa is also questionable for this Sunday. That leaves Thorpe, who's been a full participant in practice this week, as the team's third cornerback.
Chekwa remains a possibility, but he's been limited in practice. The team will have to wait and see how he progresses between now and game day.
For now, the only other option is rookie Jansen Watson, who's the only cornerback on Oakland's practice squad. That's a move that wouldn't inspire any confidence. Unfortunately, with how shorthanded the team is at the position, it's a move there might not be any choice but to make.
Hopes were high for Sims after the way he finished last season, but that proved to be an unreliable sample. His underperformance has led to him losing snaps as the season has progressed. Rookie Justin Ellis, who's quietly shown a lot of improvement, should see a big jump in playing time against the Chiefs.
Asante, who didn't join the team until late October, has been surprisingly effective. He's earned more playing time, and the defense has played well with him on the field.
Like at cornerback, the team is also thin at safety. Asante's absence would leave Charles Woodson and Brandian Ross as the only active safeties. With no available options on the practice squad, the Raiders are hoping that Asante, who's dealing with a shoulder and a quad injury, can somehow get healthy enough to play.
Holmes has been limited in practice, and there's been no indication that he won't be able to play. If he can't, it would move James Jones into the No. 1 spot, a role that he's not suited for.
But it might prove to be a blessing in disguise: This would force the coaches to give Brice Butler more playing time. There's no question that the offense is better with him on the field.
Sio Moore has also been limited, but at this time, it seems to be mostly precautionary. Ray-Ray Armstrong would fill in in his absence, and it could lead to Bojay Filimoeatu once again being called up from the practice squad.
All injury statuses and updates taken from CSNBayArea.com's Scott Bair.
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X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
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D.J. Hayden vs. Dwayne Bowe
Tarell Brown's likely absence this Sunday will push Hayden up to No. 1 on the cornerback depth chart. That means he'll be responsible for shutting down the Chiefs' top receiving threat.
Bowe is in the midst of a down year. He has only 48 receptions, and he's yet to catch a touchdown. But he's still a dangerous receiver, and he will put up big numbers if given the chance.
When the Raiders beat Kansas City two weeks ago, Brown held Bowe to 42 yards on three catches. Hayden has to have a similar performance for the Oakland defense to slow down the Chiefs offense and keep it out of the end zone.
Latavius Murray vs. Kansas City Linebackers
Murray burst onto the scene with his performance against the Chiefs three weeks ago. On only four carries, he totaled 112 yards and two touchdowns, including a highlight-reel 90-yard dash to the end zone. On that play, the offensive line opened up the running lane, and Murray beat the out-of-position linebackers.
The difference is that the Chiefs will be ready for him this time. They saw firsthand what he's capable of, and they'll be prepared to not let it happen again. But even if Murray doesn't have another big game, he still has to be effective.
While he had a relatively quiet game last week—76 yards on 23 carries—it was clear that the San Francisco defense saw the tape, and it had to respect the run. This opened up the passing game.
Even though the Kansas City linebackers will be watching him all game, Murray still needs to average at least four yards a carry to keep them occupied.
What Murray has brought to the offense is balance. Against the Chiefs, he has to do it again.
Oakland Defensive Line vs. Jamaal Charles
Charles is dangerous as a receiver—he has five touchdowns through the air—but he does most of his damage on the ground.
In the first meeting between these two teams, he picked up 80 yards on 19 carries. He would have had more, but the Chiefs had to go away from the run as they were down for much of the game.
Charles is currently listed as questionable. But if he does play, he'll be the center of Kansas City's offensive game plan. He's too good to be stopped, but the defensive line has to limit his effectiveness. Doing so will slow down the entire Chiefs offense.
X-Factor of the Week: Mychal Rivera
There's no question that when the Chiefs sat down to study film for this week's game, they saw how dangerous Carr can be. To slow him down, they'll aim to shut down his most dangerous weapon: Rivera.
This Sunday will provide a new challenge for the second-year tight end. Never before has he had to face a defense that has specifically planned to slow him down. But that's what he'll be facing against Kansas City. He's going to have to find a way to still make an impact.
Rivera provided a legitimate downfield threat for the Oakland offense, something it hasn't had all season. Whenever Carr needed someone to get open, he stepped up. When the offense needed a big play, he was there to make it.
He'll need to provide these same things for the offense to move the ball against a defense that'll be looking for revenge while playing in front of a ravenous home crowd.
No one is confusing Rivera for Tony Gonzalez or Jimmy Graham, and he's unlikely to have the same type of game that he had last week. But Rivera still needs to make plays and continue to be a reliable target. This is his chance to prove that he truly is a building block for this offense.
Prediction
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No one wants to be the first to lose to a team on a long losing streak. That's what happened to the Chiefs when they lost to the 0-10 Raiders, and they haven't forgotten.
Carr's performance last week was no accident. He's begun to figure things out, and his play will become more consistent. He played lights-out against the 49ers, but he's still a rookie.
He can't yet be expected to play that way every week. He'll show similar signs against Kansas City, but he'll also regress at some points and make some rookie mistakes.
The Oakland defense, which has played better than Oakland's record indicates, will have another solid game. Alex Smith will be efficient, but the defense will do just enough to limit the big plays and keep the score manageable.
The Chiefs have yet to win since losing to Oakland, and they've surely had this revenge game circled on their schedule. They're going to come out from the opening kickoff looking to impose their will, and the Raiders are going to have to figure out a way to weather the early storm.
The Raiders will play well, and they'll be in it late. But the challenge will prove to be too much against an Andy Reid-coached team that's desperate for a win and playing in front of arguably the best home crowd in the NFL.
Kansas City will make just enough plays, and the Raiders will lose a close one.
Prediction: Kansas City 23, Oakland 20
Unless otherwise noted, all stats taken from ESPN.com.
Share your thoughts and opinions on Twitter @BrianJ_Flores.
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