NFL Monday Night Football: Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs Betting Preview
Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, CO – 1:15 AM – Friday 7th October
Patrick Mahomes and the 3-1 Chiefs welcome divisional rivals Derek Carr and the 1-3 Raiders to Arrowhead. It’s been a disappointing start for New Head Coach Josh McDaniels and the Raiders. McDaniels came to Las Vegas after spending over a decade in New England as Offensive Coordinator, and the arrival of Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Packers saw them earn a lot of preseason hype that hasn’t quite materialised yet, though they did get their first win of the season last week against the struggling Broncos. The Chiefs are rolling and set things right last week in a comfortable win over the Bucs after a slight blip in their loss to the Colts. They battered the Raiders in both games last year (48-9 and 41-14 respectively) and Vegas will be hoping to put up a better fight this time around.
Raiders at Chiefs Picks
Moneyline: Chiefs – 3/10 with Parimatch
Spread: Chiefs -7.5 – Evens with BetUK
Over/Under: Over 52 – 10/11 with 888Sport
This will be closer than last season’s affairs, but the Chiefs will still cover tonight against the Raiders. Despite the loss of Tyreek Hill in an offseason trade to the Dolphins, the Chiefs offence has still been firing on all cylinders – they’ve scored 40+ points in two of their four games so far and tonight face a Raiders defence that has been pretty porous. QB Patrick Mahomes is in the early stages of piecing together an MVP calibre season, throwing for over 1,100 yards, 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions through four games. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire is living up to his first-round draft pick status, with over 300 total scrimmage yards and 5 touchdowns on the year. New wideouts JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are also contributing, and Travis Kelce is still Travis Kelce and on track to have over 100 catches this year.
On defence, the Chiefs rank 20th in points per game allowed and have given up at least 20 in each game so far. That said, the general consensus is the defence has played better than expected and crucially has made big plays in big moments. They also lead the league in rushing yards allowed and have given up the second-fewest penalties.
Expectations for the Raiders’ offence were high coming into the season. Derek Carr is a seasoned quarterback, Davante Adams has been the best wide receiver in the league in recent years, Josh Jacobs is a decent running back and Darren Waller is a great receiving tight end. Yet through four games Carr has only thrown six touchdowns and has four picks to go alongside them and started the season 0-3. However, last week against the Broncos there were finally signs the offence is beginning to gel. They ran for over 200 yards on the ground and Davante Adams cleared 100 receiving yards. It’s a start, but this offence should be aiming for top five league numbers based on the talent that is there.
Despite trading for pass-rusher Chandler Jones to team up with Maxx Crosby, the defence has been poor and ranks 24th in points per game. Crosby is one of the few who can hold his head up as he enters tonight’s game with four sacks on the season. It’s tough to see how this defence, which gave up that big lead to the Cardinals, can contain Mahomes, Clyde and Kelce.
Raiders at Chiefs Prop Bets
Travis Kelce Over 73.5 Receiving Yards – 22/25 with BetUK
Kelce averages 80.5 receiving yards per game so far and already has 26 receptions through four games. Kelce averages 76 yards per game in his career against the Raiders and has gone over 100 yards in five of the past eight games against them.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Anytime Touchdown – 10/11 with bet365
Whilst he hasn’t had a bad start to his career, Edwards-Helaire’s start in the NFL has perhaps been a little underwhelming considering his final year at LSU and that he was a first-round pick. This season he’s really started to come into his own and look like the back that was an integral part of that record-breaking LSU offence (greatest college team of all time, it’s not a homer take even if I am an LSU fan), and been a weapon through the air and on the ground.
Davante Adams Over 76.5 Receiving Yards – 5/6 with SkyBet
Adams had a great start to his Raiders career, linking up with old College teammate Derek Carr for 141 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. He was quiet in Weeks 2 and 3, but was back to the Adams we know in Week 4 with 101 yards.
Josh Jacobs Over 61.5 Rushing Yards – 4/5 with 888Sport
Jacobs has averaged 84 rushing yards per game this season and went for 144 yards in last week’s win over Denver. He averages 4.8 yards per carry, and whilst the Chiefs have the number one rushing defence, I feel Vegas has underestimated the impact this will have on Jacobs’ total rushing yards.
Derek Carr over 0.5 Interceptions – 10/11 with Betway
I like Derek Carr and do think he’ll improve on his under-par start to the season, but he’s always got a pick in him.
