The Oakland Raiders need a quality win over the Kansas City Chiefs to break into the playoff picture as a legitimate threat.
Both teams enter this contest with significant injuries—the Chiefs with a few more than the Raiders in key areas.
However, Chiefs running back Charcandrick West rejoins the lineup after missing a game with a hamstring injury. He completes a two-man backfield responsible for propelling the Chiefs into playoff contention.
The Raiders must find a solution to a lackluster ground attack to extend time of possession and keep the defense fresh down the stretch.
Short Passes to Supplement Struggling Rush Offense
In a press ...
Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie deserves praise for some valuable draft picks over the past four seasons, but his 2013 class continues to disappoint.
In the offseason, seven out of 10 picks from 2013 draft competed for a spot on the 53-man roster. Two of those players were traded and one landed on injured reserve before Week 2. The four remaining talents haven’t impressed on a major scale in a critical third season—only one holds a firm grip on a starting position going into Week 13.
Three seasons provide an adequate sample to evaluate a particular draft class. McKenzie’s third-year players ...
The Oakland Raiders will play a meaningful December game against a surging Kansas City Chiefs team on a five-game winning streak.
Both teams' playoff hopes have fluctuated throughout the season. Though unexpected, the Raiders tasted early successes to propel the franchise into playoff contention.
Despite losing starting running back Jamaal Charles amid a 1-5 start, Kansas City currently holds an AFC wild-card spot and an 85 percent chance of playing in the postseason, per ESPN analytics (via ESPN.com's Adam Teicher).
The Raiders plan to spoil those chances and create their own postseason pathway. It begins with a quality victory over a division opponent steamrolling the ...
The Oakland Raiders' Week 13 stock report highlights two unassuming top performers and a pair of defensive backs tumbling for different reasons.
Raider Nation should list Sunday's referee crew at the top of the stock list. According to Tennessee Titans interim head coach Mike Mularkey, via Jim Wyatt of Titans Online, the NFL acknowledged the defensive holding call on Titans cornerback B.W. Webb as a bad call.
The officials called the penalty on the opposite side of the field, away from quarterback Derek Carr's incomplete pass into double coverage to wide receiver Andre Holmes on fourth down.
Questionable calls occur in virtually every game, ...
The Oakland Raiders coaching staff set the transition from Marcel Reece to Jamize Olawale in motion.
Based on a report from ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave drew comparisons between Reece and Olawale, which explains the recent shift in ball-carrier duties.
Olawale presents the same skill set as Reece as a downhill rusher with soft hands as a receiver. To Raider Nation's dismay, the three-time Pro Bowl fullback will likely take a backseat to a younger version of himself.
More Olawale, Less Reece in the Backfield
Every week, questions flood Raiders media circles expressing interest in Reece as a solid No. 2 running ...
This resilient Oakland Raiders team doesn’t resemble the same three- to four-win clubs over the past three seasons.
The Silver and Black earned their second comeback victory on the road in inclement weather. A defensive holding penalty on Tennessee Titans cornerback B.W. Webb extended the Raiders' final offensive drive, and quarterback Derek Carr seized the scoring opportunity.
Some will point to luck or a phantom penalty, but the Titans didn’t hand over the points.
Carr and wideout Seth Roberts made the best out of a second chance in a high-pressure scenario. To the Raiders' credit, their young core didn’t crumble with legitimate playoff hopes ...
The Oakland Raiders snapped a three-game losing streak and emerged from an offensive rut to keep their playoff hopes alive in a 24-21 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
In the NFL, there's no such thing as a disappointing win or good loss. The Raiders earned a victory in an imperfect, sloppy and hard-fought contest—none of those adjectives show up in the win column.
Oakland stands as a 5-6 team still in the playoff hunt with a division rival and current AFC Wild Card team next on its schedule. Its Week 13 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs is nothing less than a ...
The Oakland Raiders' stronger-than-expected 2015 campaign continued Sunday as they earned a 24-21 win over the Tennessee Titans.
That win came in large part thanks to a stellar performance from Derek Carr, who tossed three touchdowns and threw for 330 yards. Amari Cooper didn't come away with any of those scores but finished with 115 yards on seven receptions.
Cooper was unable to score largely because of Seth Roberts, who emerged with a six-catch, 113-yard, two-touchdown evening. Roberts had never made more than three catches in an NFL game before Sunday.
Here is a look at how we should assess the Raiders offense ...
The Oakland Raiders nearly blew their playoff hopes away, but they recovered in a resilient victory over the Tennessee Titans in a sloppy game at Nissan Stadium on Sunday.
Raider Nation shouldn’t pound their chests in triumph, but let out a sigh of relief in a game that could’ve sent the team home with a 4-7 record.
The first half ended with very little fireworks, but the drama increased with the rainfall in the second half.
Oakland hung on to a slight lead over a hard-nosed defense and dominated time of possession throughout the contest. However, penalties and a wet football helped a ...
The Oakland Raiders hope to break through a sudden lull on offense against the Tennessee Titans in another road challenge on Sunday.
It’s hard to believe the offense projects as the main focus of emphasis for a once potent passing attack. In Week 11, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr recorded his lowest passing completion percentage (52 percent) and failed to throw a touchdown pass against the surging Detroit Lions.
Now, Oakland faces the league’s No. 3 pass defense and No. 6 overall defense in yards allowed. Tennessee logs a poor record, but let’s not classify this game as an easy win.
How can the ...