Oakland Raiders Week 13 X-Factors against the Kansas City Chiefs
By Matt Holder
Gabe Jackson
While the Chiefs defense is not very good, defensive tackle Chris Jones is and is probably their best player on that side of the ball. Since entering the NFL in 2016, Jones ranks fifth among interior defensive linemen with 29.5 sacks, and his 64 QB hits and 33 tackles for loss are nothing to scoff at either.
He is a problem for any offensive line and will be an issue for the Raiders if Jackson isn’t on top of his game.
Since returning from injury in week seven, the guard hasn’t quite looked the same. This season, Jackson has surrendered three sacks and has one of the lowest Pro Football Focus run-blocking grades at his position. The big-man allowed eight sacks in his first five years and thus far his run-blocking grade is the lowest of his career by a wide margin.
The Silver and Black need Jackson to return to his old form, especially with such a tough matchup on Sunday. In seven games against the Raiders, Jones has tallied three and a half sacks, eight QB hits, and five tackles for loss. If the guard isn’t up for the task, it could be a very long day for Oakland’s offense.