Mahomes, Hill will test Conley and Joseph
After being in the doghouse early in the season, Gareon Conley and Karl Joseph have upped their play as of late with extended playing time and snaps. Conley himself had his two highest graded games of the season the past two weeks per Pro Football Focus, and Joseph is the fourth highest graded defensive player for Oakland through Week 12.
Their grades have a high likelihood of taking a dip with Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill on deck. Mahomes and Hill each rank third in passing and receiving yards respectively this season. Unlike previous matchups with Kansas City, the Chiefs have a quarterback that can effectively evade the pocket and sling the ball downfield.
The Chiefs will likely opt towards the run game, but they’ll also have just as much success in the air despite better play of late from the Raiders secondary. Conley and Joseph will be tested, but they’ll likely play inspired as underdogs this week.