Kansas City Chiefs

Oakland Raiders: Week 14 Game Plan vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Dec 4, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) is defended by Buffalo Bills linebacker Preston Brown (52) on a 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter during a NFL football game at Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Bills 38-24. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

How should the Oakland Raiders approach their Week 14 AFC West showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs? Can they stop running back Spencer Ware?

The Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs will headline the most anticipated Thursday Night Football game with playoff implications. The winner earns a cushion atop the AFC West. With a one-game lead in the standings, Oakland’s leverage would be more substantial than Kansas City’s. However, a season sweep for the Chiefs would ensure their place as the division winner in a tie situation.

These bitter rivals met in Week 6, and Chiefs running back Spencer Ware embarrassed the Raiders’ interior run defense. He accumulated 163 total yards with a touchdown in his best overall performance as a pro. The fourth-year back brushed off defenders on tough runs, which allowed his quarterback to throw short accurate passes to further control the clock. Kansas City possessed the ball for about 37 minutes.

Every week, coordinators add wrinkles to the game plan tailored to their opponent. Though, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. must prepare to see more of the same from the Chiefs, especially after his defense allowed a season-worst 212 rushing yards to the Buffalo Bills last week.

After watching the defense for 12 weeks, we’re well aware of the problems. How can Norton fix it on Thursday? Where’s the weak point within the Chiefs defense?

Nov 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) runs the ball against Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short (99) during the first half at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Feed Latavius Murray Early

The Chiefs have a knack for controlling the clock and limiting their opponent’s possessions in order to ease pressure on a less explosive offense. Ware doesn’t carry the same natural talent as four-time Pro Bowl ball-carrier, Jamaal Charles, but he’s able to shorten distances on second downs, which allows Smith to convert first downs with the intermediate passing attack.

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The Raiders should review their Week 9 film against the Denver Broncos closely. Oakland denied Denver the opportunity to wear down its defense with long sustained drives. In that particular matchup, Murray logged season-highs in carries (20) yards (114) and touchdowns (3). The Raiders controlled the football for 41 minutes. The Broncos didn’t have time to establish an offensive rhythm.

Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave could apply the same tactic on Thursday. Offensively, the Raiders have tools to give the Chiefs a dose of their own medicine. The approach would also keep Ware on the sidelines. If the Raiders can score early with a balanced attack, it’ll force Kansas City’s offense to pick up the scoring pace, which is a tall task for a team that’s notched 30 or more points once this season.

Undrafted running back Jalen Richard, who also ran the ball effectively against the Broncos, should take on a decent workload. With about eight to 10 carries, he can potentially rip off huge runs against the No. 27 run defense in the league.

Oct 30, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Donte Moncrief (10) catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson at Lucas Oil Stadium. Kansas City defeats Indianapolis 30-14. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Find Steven Nelson or Philip Gaines in Coverage

Whether it’s early in the game or during another late fourth-quarter comeback, quarterback Derek Carr must find Steven Nelson or Philip Gaines in coverage. Wideout Michael Crabtree or Amari Cooper would draw a favorable matchup against either Chiefs cornerback.

Carr will likely throw at reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Marcus Peters, but why do it with a better matchup on the field? If necessary, the Raiders’ signal-caller could target the weakest link within the secondary from the slot position. Wideout Seth Roberts lists second on the team in touchdown grabs, and the Raiders are undefeated when he reaches the end zone.

It’s unclear how the cold weather will affect Carr’s arm and accuracy. During Monday’s press conference the Raiders quarterback dismissed falling temperatures as a concerning factor for Thursday’s game. Nonetheless, we should be more concerned about his receivers catching the football. In ideal weather, the pass-catchers have dropped more passes than any group in the league, per Pro Football Focus’ Mike Renner:

As a veteran, Crabtree has dealt with cooler temps on the road with the San Francisco 49ers. Pay close attention to Cooper’s play as the night progresses. Thus far, the second-year pro has rectified his drop issues. Thursday’s weather will test his mental focus.

Sep 1, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive end Jihad Ward (95) smiles after a play against the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Utilizing a Four-Man Front

Over the past few weeks, the Raiders have started with a four-man front. The trend should continue with another run-oriented team looking to move the ball efficiently on the ground. It sounds elementary, but another big body on the defensive line puts one more hurdle in front of Ware when he’s looking to hit an open lane.

For more elusive running backs with the ability to catch out of the backfield, an extra athletic linebacker would suffice. Ware doesn’t have breakaway speed, but he can absorb initial contact and keep his legs turning. Rookie Jihad Ward, who’s still developing, and nose tackle Dan Williams, who’s not having his best season, can’t allow holes in the A- and B-gaps. Typically, defensive linemen Khalil Mack ad Bruce Irvin derail rush attempts toward the edge.

Linebacker Perry Riley only played 51 snaps in a Raiders uniform before taking the field Week 6 against the Chiefs. With a better grasp of the defensive schemes, he’ll add some resistance to the run defense up the middle. Don’t expect Ware to run away with another 100-yard performance.

Riley, along with a capable four-man front that shut down the Bills’ ground attack for the final 20 minutes in the previous outing, should be able to limit a less dynamic ball-carrier to fewer than 100 yards.

December 4, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders strong safety Nate Allen (20) is congratulated by defensive end Jihad Ward (95) for intercepting the football against the Buffalo Bills during the fourth quarter at Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Bills 38-24. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Strong Vocal Communication Between Nate Allen, Perry Riley

Without rookie safety Karl Joseph on the field, veteran counterpart Nate Allen and Riley must maintain strong vocal communication to limit Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s production. He’s caught 23 passes for 349 yards over the past three games.

The Raiders’ tight end coverage issues have lingered from the previous year. Defensively, the team has struggled to replace Neiron Ball’s ability to play all three linebacker positions and shadow athletic tight ends with soft hands.

In a 4-3 setup, Smith and Kelce will likely target the area behind Riley and in front of Allen to move the offense downfield through the air. The veteran safety provides wide range in coverage, but he must ensure continuity with the Mike linebacker to defend any blind spots midfield.

When healthy, Joseph fared well in one-on-one coverage assignments. Most notably, he put the clamps on Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, who finished with four catches for 45 yards in Week 12.

As the Chiefs’ primary receiving option, Kelce will secure some receptions. However, Norton can’t allow the tight end to open the field for speedster wideout Tyreek Hill, who can line up across the offensive formation. With a joint effort, two veterans should be able to adjust to the Chiefs’ mid-range passing attack.

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