Oakland's opponents: Kansas City 101
Given the span the Raiders have had in the last seven years, at least we haven't been alone. For a while Kansas City fans loved to tar and feather us, trying to make up for years of their failures. Seriously, how many years has it been since the Chiefs last played in the Super Bowl? Before I was born?
But I digress.
Last year the Raiders split the two games, with each of us winning in the other's home stadium. For the Raiders, it seems easier to win in Arrowhead, while the Black Hole has seen such gaffes, as the botched attempt and the boink.
In this last offseason the Raiders went out and drafted like a real football team, while the Chiefs continued to believe that they are New England 2.0. Picking up a first round Safety in Eric Berry, hopefully to keep teams from burning the secondary. Meanwhile, the question of stopping the run continues to be a sore spot.
The Chiefs, however aren't alone in that category, as the broncos, the Raiders and the chiefs all suffer from this ailment last year. Kansas City however, did do one thing right, in practicing what the Raiders wrote the book on....addition by subtraction.
Larry Johnson was finally shown the door, after a blowup during the season to be replaced by Jamaal Charles who averaged 5.9 yards per carry. Does this help or hurt the Raiders?
If Oakland's run defense is porous, the Chiefs can control the clock....a bad deal. Oakland can try to stuff the line, forcing the issue....Charles was out for our week two win last year. It's anyone's guess if the Raiders' defense could have turned in the game they did last year.
However, last year we also had our own nightmare in JaMarcus Russell. With Russell gone, the days of 3 and out should be improved on. Considering that in the week two win, Oakland had only 99 yards of passing, including the late game TD, it's not a shock we won....but more, Kansas City shot themselves in the foot with penalties, foolish clock management and the two picks by Cassel helped Oakland.
Coming into this season, I think both games will be shootouts. For Kansas City though, I can only tell them this:
JaMarcus Russell is not coming off the bench to lose....if you knock out Campbell, you'll have Gradkowski back in.
Oakland sweeps the series, looking sharp and throwing hard.
