The Las Vegas Raiders play host to the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday in a crucial AFC showdown from Allegiant Stadium. The Chiefs hit the road in this one looking for their fifth-straight win and hoping to put more pressure on those around them atop the AFC. For the Raiders, their postseason hopes have been dashed but they'd love nothing more than impact the playoff seeding of their rivals. The Chiefs have won four wins in a row in the series but with October's matchup coming down to the very end, it's likely this one could go either way.
The Chiefs hit the road for this one with the top seed in the AFC still within their grasp. Last week's unfortunate Bills and Bengals game still has a shadow cast over how the season might finish out but Kansas City knows that a win on Saturday will at least give them a chance at the top seed. While the wins haven't been easy this season, Kansas City still sits at 13-3 in the record books and with four wins in a row, has momentum trending in the right direction. This remains a series that Kansas City has dominated over the years, with wins in nine of the last ten meetings, though they'll need to be sharper than when these two first squared off in October. In that one, Kansas City got behind early, with the need being for them to hit the gas from the get-go on the road on Saturday.
The Chiefs aren't dealing with a lot of injuries but they are dealing with some key ones. Mecole Hardman (abdominal) remain s questionable and would be a big boost to the offense, especially with Sky Moore (hand) carrying the same designation. On the defensive side, L'Jarius Sneed (hip) is questionable as well, though they expect to carry nearly all of their other starters into action in this one.
Skyy Moore, L'Jarius Sneed, Joe Thuney, and Mecole Hardman were limited in practice today.
Harrison Butker did not practice.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 4, 2023
Kansas City's offense remains elite this season and there's no doubt that they should have a big game against Las Vegas in this one. The Chiefs carry the league's top total offense and scoring offense into action and even though the running game has struggled, even that facet has grown in the strength of late. Isiah Pacheco has turned into a strong runner, with Jerick McKinnon providing valuable depth out of the backfield in the passing game. In the end, as long as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are healthy, this team is always going to have a chance at the end of the game, regardless of how the defense plays. With the Raiders' defense ranking near the bottom of the league in pass defense, expect a heavy dose of throwing the ball in this one.
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