Finishing Touch: Raiders, the Last Meaningful Game of the Season for KC – this is it, if the Kansas City Chiefs can beat the Oakland Raiders, the division title is all but secured. A win would put Chiefs up three games over the Raiders, and holding the tie breaker. A single victory by the Chiefs, or loss by the Raiders, in the ensuing four games, would clinch it. With upcoming matches, against the Titans and Jaguars, it’s highly unlikely that Oakland will go undefeated. Consequently, win or loss, Chiefs fans are watching the last significant game of the season, and should have a pretty good idea of what to expect, going forward. This game, for the Chiefs, will also be significant in dictating their approach over the last four weeks.
Lineup Matters
The Chiefs have plenty of time to tinker with the lineup, going forward, but this isn’t the game to do it. Raiders are a team that’s not built to come from behind. McCoy shouldn’t get too many carries, due to his fumble issues. Go with guys you can trust. That doesn’t necessarily mean that no changes should happen. Austin Reiter should absolutely be benched, in favor of Steven Wisnewski. Chiefs have given Reiter plenty of time to show improvement, and he hasn’t. Wisnewski, albeit in limited reps, has looked far better, and could really provide a veteran boost, to an under-performing unit. Blake Bell, and Deon Yelder, should also see diminished roles, until the division is secured. Demone Harris, and Darwin Thompson, should get plenty of reps in the coming weeks, but not this week. Chiefs just need to play mistake free football, if they do, the Raiders will beat themselves.
Result Matters
A loss against the Raiders, doesn’t end Chiefs chances at the playoffs, or the division. In fact, they would still hold a one game edge. This team was never going to be happy with just making the playoffs though. Flopping, when you have a chance to lock things up, would be an ill omen. If K.C. can’t get it done on Sunday, fans might as well kiss Super Bowl dreams goodbye. Good teams win when it matters and the Chiefs need to prove that such an adjective — like “good” — applies to them, because they certainly haven’t proved it… yet.
Flexibility Matters
Perhaps the most significant thing about this week, is the flexibility it gives the Chiefs moving forward. They’ll play the Patriots, in Foxborough, the next week, and probably again, in the playoffs. With a win over the Raiders, the Chiefs can use that game to set up the next matchup. They don’t need to win, or to use their best plays. In fact, it’d probably be best to lose that battle, to win the war. Seldom do teams beat the Patriots, twice, in the same season. If the Raiders drop a game that same week, the Chiefs will have two full weeks in which to tinker. Get rest for key starters, work younger players in, try some different things schematically, etc. While a bye week would’ve been nice, the two seed isn’t really on the table anymore. Still, the Chiefs can easily give themselves the next best thing, with this one win.
Conclusion
This game is the only one that matters until the playoffs. If the Chiefs can’t win it, feel free to write them off. If they do win it, don’t worry about what happens in the ensuing weeks. Those weeks will simply be about gathering information, and working in younger players like Darwin Thompson, and perhaps Dorian O’Daniel or Darron Lee, to see if they can help at all this year. Don’t expect this game to be a cakewalk. Sure, the Raiders lost to the hapless Jets, but that was undoubtedly a trap game. They’ll put forward their best effort of the season, against Kansas City. The results of that effort will tell us everything we know until Wildcard Weekend. Let’s hope it’s good news. Go Chiefs.
Ransom Hawthorne — ArrowheadOne
If you are viewing this in Apple News and would like to join the Discussion, [GO HERE.](http://arrowheadone.com/finishing-touch-raiders-the-last-meaningful-game-of-the-season-for-kc/#disqus_thread)