Both teams have gotten sporadic performances out of their respective offenses, although Kansas City running back Jamaal Charles is far better than anything Oakland can counter with. He can also stay on the field, something the Raiders’ Darren McFadden has been unable to do.
Until recently, the two teams also relied heavily on their defenses.
The Chiefs stumbled a little bit on that side of the ball during their back-to-back losses against San Diego and Denver before bouncing back nicely against Washington. Oakland, however, has hit a defensive rut it can’t seem to get out of, which is a prime reason the Raiders are headed for their 11th consecutive non-winning season.
Allen’s team can salvage a little pride by preventing the Chiefs from clinching a spot in the postseason.
Here are four ways the Raiders can make that happen.
Keep Jamaal Charles Contained
As good as Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles is (four 1,000-yard seasons in the last five years), he hasn’t had a whole lot of success against the Raiders. For Oakland to have any sort of chance at ending its three-game losing streak, that trend has to continue.
Charles scored a pair of touchdowns and ran for 78 yards when the two teams met at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 6. He needed 22 carries, however, as Oakland crowded the box to slow him down.
It worked for most of the game. Nine of Charles’ carries netted two yards or fewer, while two others gained three yards apiece.
If the Raiders are successful in slowing down Charles, it would allow them to get after Chiefs quar...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
