Raiders at Chiefs
THE STORY: Despite starting 0-3 and enduring a four-game losing streak later in the season, the Kansas City Chiefs are still fighting for their playoff lives. They still have plenty of work to do – and will need help – if they are to win their second straight AFC West title, but the situation is not completely far-fetched. The Chiefs must win their final two games, including Saturday against the visiting Oakland Raiders. They also need Denver to lose at Buffalo on Saturday and San Diego to drop at least one of its remaining two games. If they get the outside help they need, their Week 17 game at Denver would be for the West title. Oakland had a one-game lead in the division after Week 12, but does not control its own destiny anymore after three straight losses, including a hard-to-swallow 28-27 setback to Detroit last week.
TV: CBS, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Chiefs -1, O/U 42
ABOUT THE CHIEFS (6-8): Kansas City kept its playoff hopes alive by dashing the dream of Green Bay’s perfect season with a 19-14 victory last week. Kyle Orton made his first start for the Chiefs and was 23 of 31, and his 299 yards were the most by a Kansas City quarterback in a game this season. The Chiefs will likely try to take advantage of Oakland’s No. 26 rush defense. Ryan Succop has made 21 straight field goals, including four last week. Javier Arenas leads the AFC with an average of 13.2 yards per punt return.
ABOUT THE RAIDERS (7-7): Oakland led 27-14 with five minutes left before allowing two touchdowns – the last which capped a 98-yard drive in 1:35 – to put its once-promising playoff hopes in serious jeopardy. The Raiders need to win their last two games and have Denver lose to Kansas City in Week 17. Carson Palmer had a big game statistically against Detroit (32 of 40 for 367 yards and a touchdown), but is 3-4 since taking over as starter in Week 9. Oakland allows 27.3 points per game, fourth-worst in the NFL.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. The Chiefs won the first meeting 28-0 in Week 7, when Raiders RB Darren McFadden injured his foot. He hasn’t played since. … Oakland’s Michael Bush is averaging 60.5 rushing yards in his last four games after averaging 115.3 in his previous four.
2. The Raiders have won five straight at Kansas City and six straight AFC West road games.
3. There is a possibility all four AFC West teams will finish 8-8. If so, the Chiefs would win the tiebreaker based on best division record.