Week 18 is always full of funky matchups. You’ve got make-or-break games with heavy playoff implications — and then a series of toilet bowls. Sunday’s game between the Chiefs and Raiders is one of the latter. All these two teams have left to do is jockey for draft position.
Kansas City is a 5.5-point home favorite with -278 moneyline odds, while Las Vegas sits at +225 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at over/under 36.5 points. Let’s dive into Sunday’s Chiefs vs. Raiders matchup.
Chiefs vs. Raiders prediction, preview
This Kansas City Chiefs’ season derailed in a hurry. They went into the bye week at 5-4, firmly in the wild card mix and with an outside shot at the division. Then it all fell apart; crucial losses were followed by Patrick Mahomes tearing his ACL, and they’ve careened to a 6-10 record in his absence. It’s not what we’re accustomed to from Kansas City.
The Raiders are in far more familiar territory. After luring Pete Carroll to coach the team and trading for quarterback Geno Smith, the feeling was that this was their chance to turn things around. But this season has proven one thing: no matter how much new car smell spray you use, a lemon is a lemon. One more loss secures Vegas the worst record in the league, and their top pick will likely arrive on a vastly different team than the one that takes the field in Week 18.
A key part of this matchup is the injury report. The Raiders will be without arguably their two best players: Brock Bowers and Maxx Crosby. Both could likely have suited up, but with nothing to play for, why risk it when losing does more good for you than winning? The same can be said for Geno Smith, who is listed as doubtful. Still, one could argue that his presence improves their chances of losing.
Kansas City will turn to third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun for this one. The 28-year-old will be appearing in his fourth career game, and put up a whopping 66 passing yards in his Christmas start against the Broncos. The Chiefs will ask him to captain an offense with an injured line and a lethargic group of pass catchers. Good luck to him.
So, who takes the cake in this battle of the dregs?
Chiefs vs. Raiders pick, best bet
If Chiefs backup Gardner Minshew were under center, I’d feel better about their chances to beat a team that has lost ten games in a row. But Oladokun looks overmatched on the field, and even a defense as shoddy as Las Vegas’ should bottle him up. Most of all, it just feels like the most Raiders-y thing of all time to win a must-lose game. I’ll take the Raiders’ value and see what happens.
