X-Factors: Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Reggie Nelson
Signed in the offseason, Reggie Nelson was supposed to be one of the best players on this Raiders defense. But that hasn’t been the case through five weeks.
It’s been an up and down season so far, seemingly rotating weeks in terms of quality of play. Bad game, good game, bad game, good game, bad game. In Week 6, will it be another good game?
With Maclin, Kelce and Charles coming to town, it certainly won’t be an easy task. But if Nelson can create a turnover or two, like he has in several of the Raiders wins, than Oakland’s chances of winning look much better.
But it’s not just the turnovers that will be needed, it’s just basic, quality play. That means sound coverage, limiting big plays, being in the right position, and no missed tackles.
Nelson could have his hands full on Sunday, dealing with Jamaal Charles, who certainly will get up to the second level early and often, making sure no big plays happen over the top, and also keeping Kelce occupied in the middle of the field.
If Nelson can manage to succeed in all facets, it’ll go a long way in getting this defense trending in the right direction. If not, well, you already know.
Phillip Gaines
Marcus Peters standouts out as the obvious impact player on the Chiefs defense, thanks for his penchant for interceptions. In the trenches, it’s going to be a battle between Dontari Poe and the Raiders stout offensive line. But that rules both of those players out as x-factors.
Look opposite the formation from Peters, and you’ll find Phillip Gaines.
Gaines is now in his third season in the NFL as a third-round pick out of Rice. He is yet to log his first career interception, and has generally been adequate since entering the league.
Typically when there is a star cornerback on the roster, the guy on the opposite side gets picked on quite a bit. While Peters may not be considered a star quite yet, he seems to be well on his way. So far in 2016, Gaines is struggling to hold up, ranking 99th out of 114 CBs, per PFF.
With two number one wide receivers on Oakland’s roster, look for whoever matches up on Gaines, either Cooper or Crabtree, to be targeted heavily on Sunday.
Given what we’ve seen through five weeks, either player is capable of having a big day, regardless of who is in coverage. So putting a subpar or average cornerback on either is a recipe for a big day.
But on the other hand, if Gaines can somehow play well enough to limit the performance of whichever WR he matches up on, than the Oakland offense will likely stall and struggle to put points on the board.
The Raiders passing offense has been their bread and butter this year, so look for them to want to keep that going in Week 6. The performance of Phillip Gaines will be a big factor in whether or not that happens.