Week 14 gets going with potentially the best matchup of the week scheduled for Thursday Night Football. The Kansas City Chiefs host the Oakland Raiders with leverage in the AFC West up for grabs. The game kicks off at 5:25 p.m. PT, and is airing on NBC, NFL Network. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will be calling the game from the booth, and Heather Cox will serve as the sideline reporter. More importantly, if you’re not near a TV, you can view a live online stream at SB Nation.
This is a huge game with all sorts of playoff implications. The Raiders (10-2) currently hold a one game lead on the Chiefs (9-3). If the Raiders win, they take a two-game lead with three games remaining. However, if the Chiefs win, they gain a huge edge, even in a tie. The Chiefs beat the Raiders in Oakland earlier this season. A win tonight would give them the season sweep, which effectively means they would hold a one-game lead on the Raiders even while tied. The Chiefs host Tennessee and Denver, and then travel to San Diego to close out the season. The Raiders travel to San Diego, host Indianapolis, and then travel to Denver to close out the season.
The Chiefs are a 3.5-point favorite in this game. The Raiders are hot, having won six straight. Of course, their last loss was to the Chiefs. I am inclined to lay the points with Kansas City. I am not going to put real money on it, because this is not an easy one to predict. But I think the Chiefs slow down the Raiders enough to secure the win and the slim cover.
Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
TV Schedule
Game time: 5:25 PM PST
Channel: NBC, NFL Network
Date: Thursday, December 8
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Heather Cox
Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City MO