Raiders at Chiefs: Ali vs. Frazier II

The Oakland Raiders versus the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL’s version of Ali vs. Frazier.

The cards set for this week’s Thursday Night Football contest rival a setup by Boxing promoter Don King. The 10-2 Oakland Raiders head to Kansas City to face the 9-3 Chiefs, in a chilly showdown. The duel is reminiscent of the heavyweight division of boxing from 1971-1975; Oakland being Muhammad Ali, Kansas City being Joe Frazier.

The red-hot Raiders kicked off the season 4-1, marching through New Orleans, Tennessee and Baltimore for road wins. Something was different about this team, and it was evident as early as Week 1. Jack Del Rio’s ballsy two-point conversion call to defeat the Saints set the tempo for the entire year. Kansas City got off to a slower start, going 2-2, battling injuries to star players Jamaal Charles and Justin Houston.

While the Chiefs flew under the radar, Oakland became the talk of the town for the first time in years. Derek Carr’s name rolled off the tongues of the media and NFL insiders, praising his poise in multiple 4th quarter comebacks. Marquette King went viral, showcasing his dance moves after every great punt. Oakland was finally living up to the hype, harping on the potential of Carr and All-Pro linebacker Khalil Mack.

The October 16 showdown at the Oakland Coliseum against the Chiefs would be an early test to solidify the Raiders as legitimate contenders. If Oakland won, it would prove that the great start wasn’t a fluke. After all, there were plenty of games still to be played — it could still fall apart.

It mirrored that historic matchup between Ali and Frazier on March 8, 1971 at Madison Square Garden. The fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship — all the marbles. Billed as the “Fight Of The Century”, Ali and Frazier sure didn’t disappoint. But like the old biblical tale of David and Goliath, the big man took a fall. A left hook from Frazier sent Ali crashing in the 15th round, shocking the world. Frazier would go on to win that fight by unanimous decision, forcing Ali to reevaluate and recover.

The same thing happened to the Raiders, except the punch in the mouth came in the first quarter. Oakland fired out the gate, as Carr connected with receiver Andre Holmes for a early touchdown. Then, a bomb to receiver Michael Crabtree was picked off by Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters just minutes later. Oakland never recovered from the kidney punch, losing the lead and ultimately the game after being battered on the ropes for 15 rounds.

Ali went into a full tyrant following the loss, stringing off 10 consecutive wins against formidable opponents. One of those opponents was Ken Norton Sr., the father of Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. The senior Norton would go on to defeat Ali the first time, but Ali won the rematch, before defeating Rudi Lubbers to setup Ali vs. Frazier II.

The Raiders have strung together six consecutive wins, the franchise’s longest streak since 2000. Along the way they beat the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers, both Super Bowl 50 participants.

Joe Frazier defended his title briefly, defeating Terry Daniels and Ron Stander before being demolished by George Foreman. For the sake of this piece, the New England Patriots will serve as Foreman. You’d be hard-pressed to find a three-letter sentence more prominent in sports than Howard Cosell’s call of the upset.

"“Down Goes Frazier!” Cosell exclaimed, as Foreman pummeled the champ, knocking him down six times."

Kansas City suffered defeat to the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19-17 in Week 11. While Frazier lost the belts, the Chiefs lost first place in the AFC West. They recovered immediately, defeating the defending champion Denver Broncos 30-27 in overtime. Sunday, the Chiefs upset the Atlanta Falcons 29-28.

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