Raiders at Chiefs 2023 Week 16: Game preview and prediction

On Christmas Day, the Las Vegas Raiders will travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs, who currently sit atop the AFC West division. The Silver and Black go into this game with a slim hope for the playoffs, but will need to win all three games down the stretch, and get a lot of help in the process.

With that said, here is our game preview and prediction for this crucial AFC West battle inside Arrowhead Stadium.

Raiders at Chiefs 2023 Week 16: Game Preview

The Chiefs go into this game a bit banged up, as they will be without multiple starters on the offensive side of the ball. Even so, they should get Isiah Pacheco back for this matchup, and he has been a nightmare for this Raiders defense in recent memory.

Staying with the Raiders defense, this is a group that has taken a huge step forward in recent weeks. The pass rush has been dominant behind Maxx Crosby, and we are seeing young players like Divine Deablo and Malcolm Koonce really come into their own in 2023.

The big question will be whether or not this team can finally find a solution for Patrick Mahomes, who has been a torn in the team's side since taking over for Alex Smith as the Chiefs starting quarterback. Even with weapons out, Mahomes is going to give the Raiders fits on Monday, and the hope is that Patrick Graham can dial up a game plan to minimize the damage.

Raiders at Chiefs 2023 Week 16: Game Prediction

While the Raiders are still technically alive in the AFC Playoff picture, them actually going into Kansas City and beating the Chiefs is a longshot. They do have momentum on their side after destroying the Los Angeles Chargers their last time out, and interim head coach Antonio Pierce is coaching to keep his job on a full-time basis in 2024.

This team has played hard for Pierce, but based on the history between these two teams, the Chiefs may have too much fire power to lose this one. The Chiefs still have not locked down the AFC West division, so they will have their foot on the gas the entire game, and that could be a dangerous scenario for the Silver and Black.

Final Score: Chiefs 27, Raiders 17