Mahomes should be in top form
Explosive quarterback one part of K.C. arsenal
The Raiders host the Chiefs at 1:05 p.m. Sunday in an AFC West matchup.
The first-place Chiefs are coming off a bye week. Here are five things you need to know about the Raiders’ Week 13 opponent :
Surging Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes is coming off arguably the worst game of his young career. Mahomes threw for six touchdowns but had five turnovers in a 54-51 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Most quarterbacks go a whole career without throwing six touchdowns in a game. Mahomes has done it twice in his first-year as a starter and is in the running for MVP. Mahomes leads the NFL in touchdown passes with 37, eight more than Drew Brees entering Week 13. But Brees has two interceptions to 10 for Mahomes. That’s one reason Brees perhaps has an edge over Mahomes in discussion for MVP. Expect Mahomes to bounce back against a poor Raiders secondary.
Cheetah on the prowl
Tyreek Hill is usually on the other end of Mahomes’ deep passes. Hill’s speed also makes him dangerous as a kick returner. But this season, Hill has turned into one of the best receivers in the NFL. Hill is among the leaders in most receiving — 65 receptions for 1,106 yards and 11 touchdowns. He averages 17 yards a catch and has 22 receptions of 20 yards or more. Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce and wideout Sammy Watkins also are excellent receivers.
Explosive running game
Kareem Hunt led the league in rushing yards during his rookie year and he’s near the top again. But he’s also a weapon in the passing game. Hunt has 824 rushing yards with seven touchdowns and 378 receiving yards. He could have an impact on the ground because the Raiders have one of the league’s worst rushing defenses.
Underrated front seven
The Kansas City defense allowed the Rams 54 points in the wild “Monday Night Football” shootout. But that final score is misleading. The Chiefs’ front seven was a major reason why Rams quarterback Jared Goff struggled for the first three quarters. The Chiefs had five sacks, and Allen Bailey ran for a touchdown on Justin Houston’s strip sack. The Chiefs’ front seven has been making big plays all season. Before their bye week, the Chiefs were ranked second in sacks with 36.
Weak link
The Chiefs are loaded in every area except the secondary. They’ve been torched all season by opposing quarterbacks. After 11 games, the Chiefs ranked near the bottom in passing yards allowed with 3,269; that translates to foes averaging 297 yards passing. With Derek Carr picking up his play in the past month, the Raiders could find some success.