The lowly, oft-forgotten Las Vegas Raiders against a juggernaut Kansas City Chiefs team fresh off the heels of a Super Bowl win and yet another 4-0 start, their fourth season in a row finishing the first four weeks of the season. This one has the potential to be a bloodbath.
On paper, the Chiefs look like heavy favorites, something backed up by their early 13-point betting spread against the Raiders, as well as their 82% chance to win their Week 5 division-clash from ESPN’s matchup predictor.
The numbers are in Kansas City’s favor, no question. But I’m not a math major, and numbers hurt my head. And I’m here to tell you that beyond the paper, the Las Vegas Raiders are more than well-enough equipped to win their upcoming game against the favored Chiefs.
Don’t be fooled by their .500 record, the national perception of quarterback Derek Carr, or head coach Jon Gruden’s recent coaching record– the Raiders are a team that’s built to compete, and built to compete now. The Kansas City Chiefs are the favorites to win, and deservedly so, but do not be surprised if the Raiders can pull off the upset against their division-rivals.
And if you do find yourself watching Las Vegas bring the reigning Super Bowl champions down to a 4-0 record on Sunday, most likely, it will be because of these four reasons.
