KC Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders 2018: Very Early Preview For Week 13 Matchup

In less than two weeks, one of the most electrifying teams in the NFL will return from its bye week to take on a team heading in the complete opposite direction. A rested Kansas City Chiefs squad will travel to the Bay Area to take on the struggling Oakland Raiders, who are seeking positives in an otherwise lost season.

A very early look at the matchup suggests the Chiefs could come away with a relatively easy win as they hope to keep pace with the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans in the competitive AFC. The Chiefs have won their nine games by an average of 12.9 points, while the Raiders have lost their eight games by an average of 16 points.

The Chiefs are coming off arguably the most exciting game of the season, a 54-51 road loss to the Los Angeles Rams, on Monday night, making the bye week well-timed. Andy Reid's squad has five games remaining on the schedule with the hopes of gaining home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. After facing the Raiders in Week 13, the Chiefs will have consecutive home games against the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs will then travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks before ending the season at home against the Raiders.

The Raiders, meanwhile, will enter the Week 13 game after a road matchup with the Ravens. Oakland snapped a five-game losing streak with a 23-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11 but it has been an overall forgettable first season for head coach Jon Gruden and things won't get much easier. Of the Raiders' final six games, the only opponent without a good shot at making the playoffs will be the Denver Broncos in Week 16.

The Raiders figure to be big underdogs against their rival, as Kansas City’s high-flying offense should provide a tough test for an inconsistent Oakland defense.

The Chiefs are second in points and third in yards per game, led by MVP favorite Patrick Mahomes. The second-year quarterback product has already posted 3,628 passing yards and 37 touchdowns.

Oakland’s pass defense is middle-of-the-pack statistically, giving up the 17th fewest passing yards per game. However, they are closer to the bottom of the league in every other metric. The absence of Khalil Mack has hurt the pass rush, as evident by nine sacks through 10 games. The Chiefs protect Mahomes well, allowing just 20 sacks on the season, good for ninth in the league.

While the Chiefs defense is 30th in yards allowed (414.7), they have been effective at getting to opposing quarterbacks. Bob Sutton's unit is second in the league with 36 sacks, and will face a Raiders line that is 28th in sacks allowed (33). The Raiders offense musters just 17 points per game, which would be a welcomed change for the Chiefs after facing the Rams.

The Chiefs defense could also get a boost with the long-awaited return of Eric Berry. The Pro Bowl safety has missed the entire season but the Chiefs appear optimistic about his return.

Berry's presence could be intriguing against Oakland, as the Raiders passing attack has fallen short of expectations under Gruden. Quarterback Derek Carr has just 12 touchdowns to go along with eight interceptions, though he posted solid numbers against the Cardinals. With Amari Cooper traded to the Cowboys, Carr will continue to look for new targets like Marcell Ateman.

The Raiders may also benefit from improved relations between their head coach and starting quarterback, who were seen arguing on the sidelines Sunday. Though Carr and Gruden downplayed the situation, cameras caught them in several heated exchanges.

History is also not on the Raiders’ side against the Chiefs. Reid is 8-2 against Oakland since becoming the Chiefs’ head coach and has a 16-3 career record after bye weeks.