Patrick Mahomes (15) and the Chiefs are 10-1 but have several narrow escapes this season, including a last-second win over the basement-dwelling Panthers on Sunday.
Jacob Kupferman | AP photo
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs know full well what happened the previous time the Raiders visited Arrowhead Stadium during the holidays.
It was on Christmas Day last year, and then-interim Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce and quarterback Aidan O’Connell did just enough — with their defense providing two touchdowns — to spring the 20-14 upset of the defending Super Bowl champions.
It almost seems as if the smell of their victory cigars lingers outside the visiting locker room to this day.
So the Chiefs have a little extra motivation as their bitter, longtime AFC West rival arrives Friday for a rare post-Thanksgiving football feast. And they hope for a different kind of wake-up call — a blowout for a change for a team that has continually played games decided in the final minutes — that can jump-start their push toward the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
“Wins are hard to come by in this league,” said Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who has been held without a sack for seven straight games. “I think overall as a team we feel like there are still a lot of areas we can improve.”
It helps the Chiefs (10-1) that they are getting healthy at the right time.
Kansas City activated running back Isiah Pacheco and defensive end Charles Omenihu on Thursday, and both are expected to be on the field.
Pacheco, who has been the lead running back the past three seasons, has been on injured reserve since Week 2, when he fractured his right fibula against Cincinnati. Pacheco has been practicing for the past couple of weeks, but the Chiefs had been cautious in getting their all-energy running back ready to play.
Pacheco had only carried 34 times for 135 yards and a touchdown before getting hurt.
The Chiefs signed Kareem Hunt shortly after Pacheco went down, and the veteran running back has been solid in his place. But with complementary skill sets, Pacheco and Hunt are expected to form a backfield tandem similar to what Hunt experienced in Cleveland with Nick Chubb the past few years.
“We’re getting healthier as an offense,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said, “and we’re just getting more reps with guys, and as the season goes on you see what guys are best at. Not it’s about building and continuing to build the rest of the season.”
Omenihu has not been on the field since tearing his right ACL in the playoffs last year. But he was a disruptive force in 11 regular-season games last season, piling up seven sacks to go with 12 quarterback pressures.
Omenihu’s return should help a pass rush whose 21 sacks are better than only four other teams in the NFL.
The Raiders (2-9) are certainly a work in progress.
O’Connell will be back under center after landing on the injured list with a broken thumb on his right hand on Oct. 20. He takes over from Gardner Minshew, who broke his collarbone in last week’s loss to the Broncos.
“It’s challenging for our team right now with losing seven straight games,” Pierce said, “but the opportunities are there. The want-to and desire — one thing about these guys is they love one another. They love the game. They’re passionate about it. I think hopefully it shows up on film, the effort that they play with. The physicality’s picked up over the last couple of weeks. They have done a good job of buying in. These younger guys understand this is their opportunity, right?”
Just as it was when the Raiders rolled into Kansas City on Christmas Day last year.
TURNOVER TROUBLE
The Raiders and Chiefs have at least one thing in common: turnovers. The Chiefs are a dismal minus-5 in differential, though that is nothing compared with Las Vegas. It is last in giveaways with 22 and takeaways with five, making them one of four teams since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to lead the NFL in both of those categories.
O’CONNELL’S OPPORTUNITY
The Raiders beat the Chiefs last year despite O’Connell going just 9 of 21 for 62 yards and getting sacked twice. But the second-year pro can nevertheless join some exclusive company. The Bills’ Josh Allen is the only QB to beat Mahomes at least twice inside Arrowhead Stadium, and O’Connell could become just the fifth Raiders quarterback to win there in back-to-back seasons.
KICKING CONUNDRUM
The Chiefs already were relying on Spencer Shrader, signed off the Jets’ practice squad, to replace Harrison Butker, who is on IR with a knee injury. But after Shrader hurt his hamstring in a game against Carolina — he still kicked the 31-yard winner as time expired — it forced the Chiefs to sign Matt Wright to kick against the Raiders. Shrader was ruled out on Thursday.
GRAY ZONE
Backup tight end Noah Gray has been the biggest beneficiary of the Chiefs trading for DeAndre Hopkins, which has forced teams to divide their attention between Travis Kelce and the three-time All-Pro wide receiver. Gray has been able to get open in the red zone the past two weeks, pulling down two touchdown catches in each of the wins.
SCHEDULE SITUATION
Along with traditional Sunday games, the Chiefs already have played twice on Monday night and once on Thursday night. The Friday matinee against the Raiders is just the start of an even more chaotic schedule down the stretch: Sunday night against the Chargers, Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, Saturday against the Texans and Wednesday — yes, Wednesday — in Pittsburgh.