Three ways the Raiders can keep it close against the Chiefs

The Raiders are 15-point underdogs against the Chiefs, and you’d be wise throwing your life savings on the red and white with that spread.

Even without star running back Kareem Hunt, who the Chiefs released Friday after this video surfaced, Kansas City is arguably the AFC’s best team. The Raiders, on the other hand, are undoubtedly the AFC’s worst team. Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce will more than likely make the Raiders’ defense look silly all afternoon.

But allow yourself to fantasize for the next couple minutes – after all the Chiefs allow more yards per game through the air than any team – and follow along on this three-step journey of how the Raiders can keep it close against the Chiefs on Sunday at the Coliseum.

1. Get Jared Cook going

The Raiders’ best offensive skill player is their tight end, who leads the team in receiving yards (609) and touchdown catches (five).

The Chiefs are one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to defending tight ends, having allowed 61 receptions, 812 yards and five touchdowns to them. No team has allowed more receiving yards to tight ends than the Chiefs, so Cook will have his fair share of chances to stockpile yardage.

“You see his numbers going up, which is awesome, his production going up because Coach Gruden is here doing some different things with him also,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. “He had a good year here last year and he comes here and is having another good year this year.”

Cook is by far and away Carr’s most reliable target since an aging Jordy Nelson, Seth Roberts and rookie Marcell Ateman won’t exactly get any quarterback excited to throw their way. The Chiefs’ biggest flaw, among few, is allowing more yards per game in the air than any other team (297). The Raiders 6-foot-5, 254-pound tight end possessing wide receiver speed is the best option to exploit that.

2. Keep Tyreek Hill near the sideline on punts

Raiders rookie Johnny Townsend might be the worst punter in the league. Hill, the Chiefs’ punt returner, might be the best at what he does in the NFL.

Townsend’s 43.5 yards per punt average rank tied for last in the league, and Hunt is one of four players this season to return a punt for a touchdown. He also brought one back against the Raiders in 2016. The Raiders allowed their first punt return for a touchdown this season last Sunday against the Ravens, when Townsend’s punt stayed too close to the middle of the field (according to Jon Gruden) and Cyrus Jones returned it 70 yards untouched.

Townsend acknowledged this week more preparation is needed for Hill, who ranks sixth in the league with 11.6 yards per return but is a threat to return one the distance any time he touches the ball. Townsend, drafted for his directional punting ability, might just be better off punting out of bounds as far downfield as he can manage.

“We’re gonna be a big directional punt team this week, just trying to shrink the field as much as we can and not give him the field to run to is gonna be really important,” Townsend said. “As long as we can execute in that aspect I think we’ll be OK.”

3. Keep Mahomes in the pocket

Getting Mahomes outside the pocket would mean the Raiders are getting into the Chiefs’ backfield, but at the same time Mahomes is at his best creating something from nothing on the move.

Gruden said this week Mahomes made the best throw of any quarterback he’s ever seen, against Louisiana Tech while playing for Texas Tech. The two marveled over the throw when Mahomes visited Gruden’s QB Camp in 2017. See the sorcery right here:

“He didn’t set his feet. He’s running to his left. I said, ‘Why didn’t you set your feet, because you don’t have to?’ He said, ‘Exactly.’ He just doesn’t have to get himself in a perfect throwing position to throw down the field accurate passes,” Gruden said. “He’s been blessed with a lot of talent.”

The Raiders struggle reaching the quarterback anyway, so they might just be better off containing instead of blitzing to allow Mahomes the width of the field to create. Granted, he might torch the Raiders regardless of where he throws from, but we’re talking which scenarios give the Raiders their best chance to just stay within striking distance.

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