The Kansas City Chiefs will play the Las Vegas Raiders in the regular season finale at Allegiant Stadium in Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season. The No. 1 seed in the AFC is on the line for the Chiefs in this matchup.
To learn more about Kansas City’s opponent, we spoke with managing editor Marcus Mosher over at Raiders Wire and asked him a few questions.
Chiefs Wire: Derek Carr seems to be on his way out. Is Jarrett Stidham the future or is there another quarterback you’d like to see in Las Vegas in 2023?
Raiders Wire: I don’t see Stidham being a long-term option for the Raiders. Now, he could be a bridge QB if they were to draft a quarterback early this season. But there is just no way that the Raiders will go into the 2023-2024 season with him as their “franchise” guy. However, he does have a chance this week to earn more opportunities down the road and across the NFL with a solid performance on Saturday.
Chiefs Wire: Do you get the sense that the Raiders will rest any starters with little more than pride left to play for this season?
Raiders Wire: I think they are going to play and play hard. While I don’t think it’s the case, but Josh McDaniels might be coaching for his job. With the Sean Payton rumors swirling, McDaniels can’t afford to have another terrible game in Week 18. While no one is expecting them to win, look for the Raiders to show a little pride in this game and try to keep it close.
Chiefs Wire: Who are some of the young players who have stepped up on defense with the recent injury situation in Las Vegas?
Raiders Wire: Well, that’s been the issue. They really haven’t had anyone step up on defense and it’s why they’ve struggled to close out these games. But one name to watch is slot cornerback Amik Robertson. He had a brilliant interception last week and is starting to become more of a playmaker for the Raiders. He isn’t a standout player by any means, but he is someone who could make a big play or two on Saturday if Patrick Mahomes isn’t careful.
Chiefs Wire:
Raiders Wire: I think it’s pretty difficult to tell. His team has been competitive in nearly every game this season and if a few late-game situations flip the other way, the Raiders could easily be 9-7 or better going into the final game of the season. I think he needs at least another year to build this roster the way that he wants to, so it’s probably wise for the Raiders to exercise some patience here.
Chiefs Wire: What’s your prediction for the game?
Raiders Wire: I think the Chiefs will win, but the Raiders will hang around for a while. They can still really run the ball and I’m not sure there is anyone on defense who can slow down Davante Adams. But make no mistake about it, the Chiefs should win this game fairly easily. I’m taking Chiefs 33, Raiders 17 in this game on Saturday afternoon.
