Week 8 Preview, Score Predictions

The Kansas City Chiefs are on the road for the second straight year and this time it's a classic division duel for the back-to-back Super Bowl champions.

This weekend's hosts are the Las Vegas Raiders, who have a record of 2-5 in seven games. Antonio Pierce's side are struggling to build on their great success at the end of last season, and on the offensive side everything is running as smoothly as a potholed road. Andy Reid's team, on the other hand, is the last undefeated team in the NFL and is the heavy favorite to win in Week 8. Will Kansas City avenge last year's Christmas Day loss, or could Las Vegas pull off the upset? about their AFC West opponents?

How will the game develop? The Kansas City Chiefs via SI Crew makes its predictions for Week 8 of the 2024-25 season.

Joshua Brisco: Thanks in large part to the Grinch-like event in the last Chiefs-Raiders matchup, there was virtually no discussion of this being a “trap game” for the Chiefs. Given last year's Christmas embarrassment and training camp puppetry, this game has the feel of a rivalry again. Add to that DeAndre Hopkins' Chiefs debut and KC's attempt to rebuild the wide receiver room through the air, and the Chiefs have no excuse to be unfocused in Week 8. While this would be a great opportunity for Patrick Mahomes to start fixing his ugly stat line for 2024, the Chiefs defense is the unit that should dominate this game from start to finish.

Prediction: Chiefs 30, Raiders 10

Jordan Foote: While it's true that the Chiefs sometimes avoid knocking out the teams they should, they are on the hunt for consecutive double-digit wins. Despite their numerous injuries, they are simply a far more talented and better-coached team than the Raiders heading into this game. In my preview of this weekend's game, I highlighted how anemic the Las Vegas offense is both in the air and on the ground. This is a recipe for a Steve Spagnuolo masterclass. Offensively, the addition of Hopkins should ensure Kansas City pulls out another convincing win and improves to 7-0 on the season.

Prediction: Chiefs 24, Raiders 13

Zack Eisen: The Chiefs return to the stadium where they won their third Super Bowl in five years and solidified their dynastic hold on the NFL. This time they return with a new weapon named DeAndre Hopkins. After a midweek trade, it will be interesting to see how many snaps Hopkins plays and how involved he is in those snaps. It will also be fun to watch him and Xavier Worthy work together as it highlights the Chiefs' offensive vision for the future. Patrick Mahomes returns to his colorful numbers today and Andy Reid earns his sixth win at Allegiant Stadium, which ranks as the most by any coach.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Raiders 10

Mark Van Sickle: The Chiefs continue to win despite injuries piling up throughout the first half of the season. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jaylen Watson are the latest additions to this list, but the team is moving on. The Raiders continue to be a garbage organization, and a fluke win in Kansas City on Christmas Day doesn't change that. The Chiefs win big today as Mahomes distributes the ball to all the pass catchers (including newly acquired wide receiver Deandre Hopkins), Kareem Hunt continues to pound the rock, and the defense stays solid.

Prediction: Chiefs 27, Raiders 12

Read more: Noah Gray is 'so grateful' for the opportunity to impact the Chiefs' offense