Kansas City Chiefs "Don't panic: Key matchups in Raiders-Chiefs"

No one should be panicking in Raider Nation just yet, despite its team relinquishing the AFC West lead in San Diego last Sunday. Relax, all. This week brings a perfectly winnable game against the Kansas City Chiefs in your house.Winnable, that is, if a few key matchups are won in the trenches. 4 Brett Favre Purple jersey
We're talking battles like:Oakland's run defense vs. Larry Johnson. The story of last week's game against San Diego was the return to normalcy of LaDainian Tomlinson. L.T. restored the faith of thousands in fantasy football with his four-touchdown display. The Chargers' O-line stretched its Raiders opposition more tightly than Travis Henry's budget after paying child support, and Tomlinson headed for many a jaunt up the sideline. The play-calling for Tomlinson was of note: After hammering away at the left side with end runs - on his first 19 carries, he went right just twice, splitting the difference between left and up-the-middle - the Chargers' last possession against the exhausted-looking Oakland 'D' got him runs of 16 left, 11 left, 5 middle and ... the long one right.Will Johnson resurrect his fantasy season, too? Here's betting coach Lane Kiffin concentrates on the running game all week in practice.Oakland's running game vs. the Kansas City D-line. Where was the Oakland ground attack last week? The single facet that was keeping the Raiders atop the AFC West despite Daunte McCown - the multi-talented league's best running game managed an anemic 53 yards. The good news is that the LaMont Jordan and Justin Fargas get to line up against one of the league's worst run defenses and perhaps the worst 4-3 set against the rush this side of San Francisco.Zach Miller vs. the Kansas City linebackers. Miller had a breakthrough game of sorts against San Diego, notching his first NFL TD. Those paying any attention at all, really, have noticed the rookie's outstanding blocking work all year: A prime reason the Raider runners have been so good, to be sure. Against Kansas City, though, Miller should be able to come off the line and prove more than a tackle-breaking match for the likes of Napoleon Harris. A couple of key short-yardage receptions from Miller could make all the difference in Culpepper's dismal horizontal passing "attack."Howard vs. Huard. Surely someone outside Raider Nation is noticing that Thomas Howard is having a heck of a season for Oakland - he's on pace for 100 tackles and a dozen picks? Sweet, but how about another long high-stepping interception return? That was excellent.Culpepper vs. time. Even after the pair of wins, this skeptic still didn't believe. And beyond the season-high 208 yards, this guy appears to be aging more quickly than Julian Glover in the last reel of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". On Jets 6 Sanchez Jersey
the other hand, yanking the man is preposterous; there's no way Kiffin (or any Raider Nation citizen, to be sure) is going to be comfortable with JaMarcus Russell calling plays right now.Especially when the Raiders can win with (or, again, despite?) Culpepper - 40 carries for Fargas/Jordan, anyone?