Bus ride fuels Raiders-Chiefs rematch.
When the Raiders handed the Kansas City Chiefs their only loss on Oct. 11, their six chartered team buses took a spin around Arrowhead Stadium before heading to the airport and a triumphant flight home.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid is a notorious press conference flatliner but made mention of it twice Monday after his team returned from a bye to begin preparing to face the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday night.
“Listen, they won the game, so they can do anything they want to do,” Reid told reporters in a video conference. “It’s not our style, but we’ll get ourselves back, ready to play. That’s where we’re at.”
Later, when asked a question about whether he gives a lot of thought to preparing for a rematch,
Reid brought it up on his own.
“I haven’t,” Reid said. “I think they have, or they wouldn’t have driven the bus around the stadium.”
Naturally, Reid’s reaction was one of the first things Jon Gruden was asked about at his weekly teleconference and if he was concerned the Raiders had given the Chiefs some bulletin board material for their AFC West matchup.
Gruden had been briefed beforehand and was ready with his answer.
“Not really. I mean, you can find a smart aleck bus driver in Kansas City who made some snide comments when we got on the bus,” Gruden said. “Maybe that’s why we drove around the stadium, to tick him off. This is ridiculous. Next question.”
Now a reality check. If the Chiefs (8-1) win their rematch over the Raiders (6-3), it will have nothing to do with a victory lap.
It’s fuel for the week leading up to one of the best rivalry games in the NFL, and then it ceases to be significant after the opening kickoff, only to return as postgame fodder and whether the whole episode served as motivation one way or the other.
All teams use whatever material they can to get their team ready to go. Bill Walsh did it too, but when he was at Stanford the second time he conceded: “These things are built up during the week, and maybe a team comes out with extra intensity for the first couple of plays or series. Then it’s all forgotten, and it becomes a football game.”
Does anybody really believe that if Tyreek Hill breaks into the clear Sunday night, Patrick Mahomes is going to be thinking before releasing the ball: “This one is for the victory lap.”
More likely, he’s focused on doing his job, as will the Chiefs and the Raiders.
Makes for a fun week, though.
GETTING DEFENSIVE >> A day after his defense got five takeaways in a 37-12 win over the Denver Broncos, Gruden was understandably pleased with the unit that had been porous for the most part through eight games.
“I thought we played with great energy and passion, and that was kind of the word we harped on before the game,” Gruden said. “Go out there and cut it loose. Let’s feed off each other’s energy. All three levels of our defense played with great effort, and it was contagious throughout the day. It was good to see.”
Gruden said linebacker Nicholas Morrow, who played all 70 snaps with Cory Littleton on the COVID-19 reserve list, had his best game. Safety Jeff Heath had a pair of interceptions, drew a penalty in the end zone that took a touchdown off the board and also had a nice early stop to prevent a first down.
Defensive end Arden Key, who missed the previous two games with a foot injury, made one nice run stop and delivered a blow on quarterback Drew Lock that seemed to affect the quarterback the rest of the way.
T he Raiders vowed changes after a 45-20 loss to Tampa Bay. Heath said Sunday those changes had been subtle in nature.
“We’re not going to get into the specifics of the tweaks that we’ve made, but we have changed the style of which we play to a degree,” Gruden said. “I think guys are playing with confidence. I think they’re playing with a lot less indecision. They’re playing down to down with better communication. I think it’s growing as we speak.” RENFROW’S RETURNS >> Hunter Renfrow had a 60-yard punt return for a touchdown nullified because of an illegal blindside block by Johnathan Abram and another for 29 yards negated on Keisean Nixon’s holding call. The last Raiders punt return for a touchdown was by Dwayne Harris (99 yards) against Denver in 2018.
“It’s unfortunate he had a lot of yards called back,” Gruden said. “But he’s a decisive, sure-handed returner. He doesn’t turn the ball over. He’s reliable, making good decisions, and he’s a north-south, nononsense, quick runner that can really finish plays.” REX ON RAIDERS >> Former NFL coach turned ESPN commentator Rex Ryan had this to say when he was asked, “Who is the best team in the NFL that no one is talking about?”
Ryan: The Las Vegas Raiders and it’s not even close. Can they beat the defending Super Bowl champs? Yes, they’ve already done it. They’ve had the second-hardest schedule in football, and they’re 6- 3. But the thing I love most about ’ em, the balance. They can run the football with Josh Jacobs. They can hammer it in there. Derek Carr has done a nice job in the passing game. Speaking of efficiency, who’s the No. 1 team in third-down efficiency on offense? The Raiders.” THE INFIRMARY >> Gruden said running back Jalen Richard, who took a thunderous hit on a kickoff return, has a bruised sternum and is sore but not seriously injured.
• Fullback Alec Ingold played 12 snaps with fractured ribs. ... Tight end Foster Moreau got some work as a fullback once the Raiders had a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter.
“I had lunch with him (Ingold) earlier today, and he said he feels better today than he did this time last week, so we expect him to be ready for Kansas City,” Gruden said.
• Left tackle Kolton Miller (ankle) and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (ankle) worked out Monday.
• Right tackle Sam Young didn’t finish the game, giving way to Patrick Omameh, who played the last 13 snaps at a position which has also seen Trent Brown, Denzelle Good and Brandon Parker in the lineup.
“We’ve had five different right tackles,” Gruden said. “That might be a world’s record after nine games.”