The Kansas City Chiefs meet up with the Oakland Raiders this Sunday. The Raiders have a 7-7 record, so far this year, and are bringing to the game a 3rd down conversion rate of 34% (23rd in NFL) and have a red zone efficiency of 56% (10th in NFL).

In this weekly article, Pro Football Spotlight will bring you the upcoming opponent’s rushing and passing tendencies, as well as some additional data and observations. For example: Did you know that the Raiders are 31st in the NFL in interception rate?

Every team in the NFL has strengths and weaknesses, tendencies, and go-to guys. They have plays they like to call during tight situations or directions they like to run when in the middle of the football field.

Let’s take a look at the rest of those tendencies…

Rushing Offense

Rushing Notes:

• Above, is a new slider graph we are trying at PFS. First, you will see the opponents run tendencies. If you click the ribbon (grey column) on the right you will see how opponents are doing against the Chiefs’ defense. Hope you like it.
• The Oakland Raiders have been running the ball at the center of the formation a lot this year.  To this point in the year, they have run the ball 137 times at the middle of the formation (5th in NFL).
• Micheal Bush has a tendency to cut the ball up instead of taking the ball outside.  That could be to the Chiefs’ advantage since the ends of the formation are giving up the biggest yards, per attempt, for the Kansas City.
• Oakland is ranked 8th in the NFL in the number of attempts over the right tackle.  The Chiefs, on the other hand, are giving up 4.9 yards, per attempt in that area, which is 23rd in the NFL.
• Look for the Raiders to run the ball between the tackle more often than outside.  Especially, if Michael Bush is getting the ball.

Passing Offense

Passing Notes:

• The Oakland Raiders have been throwing the ball deep all year, it doesn’t seem to matter who the quarterback is during the game.  The Raiders are ranked 5th in the NFL in the number of attempts to the deep left and deep middle of the field.  Not only that…they are also ranked 5th in completion % to the deep left and 3rd in completion % to the deep middle.
• Oakland has attempted 131 passes to the short left side of the field.  That is the most attempts to any zone that they have…but is still only 16th in the NFL.
• The most dangerous area to look for against the Raiders might be the short right zone.  They are only ranked 31st in attempts in that area but are completing 69%  (7th in NFL)  of their passes to that zone and are getting 6.4 yards, per attempt (5th in NFL).
• The Chiefs are still being attacked on the right side of the field (defensive left).  Teams have thrown the ball 44 times to the deep right side of the field (3rd most in NFL).  This will be an interesting match-up since the Raiders, although they like to attack the deep right, are not competing a lot of passes in that area (only 23% or 31st in NFL).