Chiefs vs. Raiders: five stats to know

We all know numbers never lie — you know, most of the time — so here are five stats to know ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs‘ final bow in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum against the Oakland Raiders.

400 receiving yards, 5 total touchdowns

The Chiefs will be without Tyreek Hill for the foreseeable future, including this game against Oakland. In six career games against the Raiders, Hill has 400 receiving yards on 24 receptions and five total touchdowns. That kind of production would be missed on any team, even one stacked with the weapons Kansas City has.

This game will serve as a chance for the Chiefs to prove they can dominate four full quarters without Hill, providing opportunities for players like Mecole Hardman and De’Anthony Thomas to fill the hole left in Hill’s absence.

20 wins, 19 losses, 1 tie

All-time, the Chiefs have a winning record in Oakland Coliseum and can make that winning record permanent with a victory on Sunday. This article by Arrowhead Pride contributor Ron Kopp Jr. goes into greater depth on the history of the rivalry in Oakland and some of its greatest moments.

1.97 seconds

The “time to throw” stat measured by Pro Football Focus is the amount of time between the snap of the ball and a quarterback’s release. In 2017, Derek Carr’s “time to throw” was the quickest in the NFL with an average of 1.97 seconds, and he displayed that same quick release Monday against the Denver Broncos.

Carr effectively neutralized the Broncos usually-dominant pass rush featuring Bradley Chubb and Vonn Miller. Not only did Denver not get any sacks against the Raiders on Monday, but they also didn’t even manage to get a quarterback hit on Carr, likely because of how quickly he was able to get the ball out.

It could be argued that the strongest part of the Chiefs defense is its defensive line and the “Sack Nation” pass rush. If the D-line isn’t given enough time to pressure Carr because of his quick release, it could mean a long afternoon for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

428 total yards

Several members of the Chiefs defense expressed some displeasure with the way they performed, even after beating the Jacksonville Jaguars, 40-26. The team gave up 428 total yards against the Jags, including 347 yards passing to Nick Foles and later rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew.

The Chiefs defense will look to improve over time this season while it gets adjusted to Spagnuolo’s scheme and several new players in the rotation. Fans should watch to see what improvements the team makes against its division rival.

7 receptions for 70 yards

Although he didn’t lead his team in receiving yards or touchdowns, Raiders tight end Darren Waller led his team in receptions, proving how reliable he is as a weapon. The third-year tight end might be under the radar for a lot of people at the moment, but Chiefs linebacker Anthony Hitchens explained this week that he’s well aware of how dangerous Waller is:

“I’m not sure who else has been talking about him, but we have,” Hitchens said. “He’s a good player. He can be out as a receiver, as a tight end. He’s a long lanky guy, so we have some things for him, and it should be interesting. Just like every week, he’s a good football player and we have some stuff for him.”