Raiders have to run the ball effectively against KC and keep Mahomo off the field. Overall, KC’s run D ranks 10th in terms of yards per game, but when QB’s are removed, they rank poorly in ave yards per carry (near the bottom). Teams have played catch up so have not run much against KC and have run against nickel defenses protecting leads.
Touted rookie DT Peter Woods has seen the field plenty in a 3-man rotation with Tonga (1-tech) and Chris Jones (3-tech). He spells Tonga as a 1-tech on run downs and when not spelling Jones, joins him as a dual 3-tech on passing downs.
Jones and Woods present Spags main interior pass rushing duo (although Spags does slide DE inside on passing downs). Woods normally gets isolated with an OG while OC slide over to double/help with Jones.
Guessing Spags will send Tonga, Woods or a DE one-on-one against Burford or Rogers, but I assume Jones will start the game mostly over Rogers. This is our OL’s match-up problem, especially with Cousins’ relatively short drop backs.
Spags rotates 4 DE, with Karloftis getting the largest snap share. Rookie Mason Thomas is Spags’ preferred pass rusher opposite Karloftis, but overall has split reps pretty equally with the other two DE. I assume Dennison will continue to help Glaze with a TE or RB to allow him to set against a speed rush, but perhaps less help might be needed this week? Karloftis does not present that issue and a chip should be enough to slow Thomas down to help Glaze lock him up.
