Versus: Two offensive minds are set to cross paths in this primetime affair

Oct 05, 2022 at 04:16 PM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

Ladies and gentlemen, it's Chiefs week.

The Las Vegas Raiders will travel into enemy territory for their first primetime game of the 2022 season. The Chiefs have gotten the best of the Raiders in recent memory, winning seven of their last eight games against each other. However, none of that matters this year as both teams look different than they did in years past. The Silver and Black have Head Coach Josh McDaniels and a potent offense revolved around Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs, Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow and Pro Bowl addition Davante Adams.

Here are three primetime worthy matchups to keep an eye on going into Monday's game.

Josh McDaniels vs. Andy Reid

It will be exciting to see two of the best playcallers in the NFL today go head-to-head in this primetime matchup.

Both of these coaches have two of the better offenses in the league, as the Raiders and the Chiefs are top ten in points scored and points averaged per game. This divisional game could turn into a shootout with the high level of imagination and creativity the offensive gurus possess. Their most recent notable encounter came in the 2019 AFC Championship, with McDaniels and the Patriots knocking off Reid in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl.

"You get out in front of them and then all of the sudden they come roaring back," McDaniels said reflecting on that game. "I think we were up 14-0 and they scored 31 points in the second half. You've just got to keep playing. I think this team, under Coach Reid, they're going to keep firing bullets. You have to keep playing and keep trying to slow them down defensively and try to score offensively to get out in front of them. ... They've got a lot of good football players on their team, and like I said, Andy does a great job.

"Obviously, we have a different team now and they have a new team, different players. We'll see how it goes, but there's definitely an element of you need to play every single minute of the game like that play could be the one that determines the outcome because you never know when it's going to be the one."

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Dylan Parham vs. Chris Jones

Dylan Parham could have the biggest test up to this point in his young NFL career.

The rookie guard has been involved in a rotating starting offensive line unit, after filling in for Andre James at center for two games and starting at right guard against the Broncos. Parham has looked comfortable at the guard spot, allowing only two pressures in 110 snaps at that position.

If Parham finds himself starting at guard again, he'll be lined up against a game wrecker in Chris Jones, who's been a difficult player to contain for the Raiders. The three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle has 2.5 sacks, five pass deflections and eight quarterback hits in his past six encounters with the Silver and Black.

"Chris is a really good player," Parham said of facing Jones. "Very quick twitch, long, plays with a lot of power. Just for myself, like I do each and every week, just emphasize the little things. Work on my details so that I can perfect my craft, so that when I go out there, we'll have a great opportunity to be successful."

Tre'von Moehrig vs. Travis Kelce

Travis Kelce is an elite tight end, it can't be denied. Nevertheless, the Raiders have a former Jim Thorpe winner who may be up for the task.

Nothing has changed this year in regards to Kelce's production in Kansas City. Through three weeks, he's leading the team in receiving yards (322) and catches (26), and is tied touchdown grabs (three). He's also had at least 100 receiving yards and eight catches in three out of four of his last games against the Raiders.

"[He's] an extreme challenge because whether it's in the passing game, third down, red area, early down; he's making plays all over the field," Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham. "And he's done it for his whole career, so there is a track record of that. What you've got to do is figure out what your best plan is to try to help minimize it. I mean, you're not going to stop him all the way. He's too good of a player, but you've got to try to minimize."

The Silver and Black have done a good job in containing opposing tight ends, with Tre’von Moehrig as a big factor behind that. In the two games Moehrig has played this season, he's been responsible for shadowing tight ends in coverage.

The second-year safety, along with Duron Harmon and Johnathan Abram , have helped hold opposing starting tight ends to an average 43.25 yards per game. No. 25 had a 75.3 overall PFF grade against the Broncos, with a 84.4 tackling grade.

"It just comes down to doing our jobs," Moehrig said of containing Kelce as a secondary. "Whatever the coverage entails of how we're going to handle him, we've just got to do it to the best of our abilities off what we've seen on tape and with what we were coached to do."