X-Factors for Raiders Against the Chiefs

The Raiders will need these X-factors to come up big to have their best chance of beating the Chiefs twice on Sunday

The Las Vegas Raiders will be looking to sweep the Kansas City Chiefs for the first time since 2012 when they face off in Vegas on Sunday.

To do that, they’ll need a total team effort as they got in their win over Kansas City in Week 5. 

It always helps to have some X-factors break out though, and these are the players who could be that on Sunday.

Henry Ruggs III

Against the Chiefs in Week 5, Ruggs only had two catches, but they were good for 118 yards and a touchdown. 

Ruggs' ability to stretch the field was a huge boon for Derek Carr in that game, but we haven’t really seen that since.

In the time since, Ruggs has seven catches for 74 yards in four games. 

Injuries haven’t helped him this season, and the Raiders have run the ball well and often recently, giving Carr fewer passing attempts.

Against the Chiefs though, the Raiders will need to keep pace just like they did the first time these teams played. That means making more plays through the air, and possibly by extension more plays for Ruggs.

Raiders Pass Rush

The Raiders were able to sack Patrick Mahomes three times in their Week 5 win and kept him from being comfortable in the pocket.

Coming off a season-best defensive performance last week against the Denver Broncos, the Raiders will be looking to keep that momentum going. 

A good way to do that would be for their pass rush to have a repeat performance on Sunday.

If Maxx Crosby, Clelin Ferrell, and others can move Mahomes off his spot again, it will give the Raiders the best chance at doing something the greater NFL world probably thought was near impossible, and that’s sweeping the defending Super Bowl champions. 

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