NFL Week 2 Matchups – Oakland Raiders vs. KC Chiefs
Oakland Raiders (0-1) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1-0)
Sunday, September 20th — Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas — 1:00pm EST
NFL Betting Line: KC -3 (38.5)
In their college days, Michael Bush and Run DMC were two of the best backs in the nation. Now they share a backfield, making Justin Fargas virtually expendable. Bush and DMC combined for 123.0 yards and a score against one of the better 3-4 defenses in the league.
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You may not be totally sold on JaMarcus Russell, but this rushing offense is going to be very good in 2009, and these two are a big part of it. With a tilt against KC, fantasy owners for Bush-DMC must be giddy. The Chiefs allowed 198.0 rushing yards last week against Baltimore.
Darren McFadden came in to the league with a mountain of expectation. He ran a 4.35 at the 2008 NFL combine, and posted incredible numbers at Arkansas while becoming the nation’s premier rusher as a Razorback. He was a clear cut choice for the Raiders, who took McFadden fourth overall behind Matt Ryan, Jake Long and Chris Long.
His rookie year was literally slowed to a crawl as Justin Fargas retained his starting role while DMC dealt with the dreaded turf toe. This year, he looks out to prove he can do everything. On Sunday, he showed glimpses of his smart downhill running, and he rarely tried to break out to the outside, or run against his blocking, to try and impress people with a big run.
The story for Michael Bush is much different. He was projected as a top-10 player in the 2007 NFL Draft but shattered his tibia in his college opener. In that game alone, he scored three touchdowns in his final game as a Louisville Cardinal. A steel rod and two surgeries later, Bush’s draft value plummeted and the Raiders scooped him up as the 100th selection.
It’s taken two long years to get used to the repaired leg, but his performance on Monday night against the Chargers is showing that the Raiders actually drafted intelligently (for once) by nabbing Bush as a low-risk draft pick in 2007. At 6-foot-1 and 248 pounds, Bush is an excellent power compliment to DMC’s versatile speed and pass catching.
The preseason focus in Raiders camp was on Tom Cable body slamming his assistant coaches in meetings, and the evolution of JaMarcus Russell. But after just one game in the 2009 NFL betting season, the attention of Raider Nation has turned swiftly to their two running-backs.
Bush and DMC are ready to take the load on together in Oakland, and crushing KC this weekend and protecting the Raiders’ 5-1 ATS record when playing in Arrowhead, will show the nation that Week 1 was no fluke for the Oakland rushing attack.
Give these two the damn ball, Cable Guy.
Free Pick: Oakland +3 (UNDER)
One reply on “Week 2 Raiders vs. Chiefs NFL Predictions”
Both these teams played fairly well last week but still found a way to lose. I think at this point the Raiders are a better team and should be able to win this one on the road.