How Carroll, Raiders Plan to Start a New Streak

Q: From your time growing up in The Bay, have you learned that Raiders-Chiefs has always been kind of a rivalry? Now that you're stepping into this rivalry, what is your thoughts on heading to Kansas City? 

Coach Carroll: "Yeah, I don't see it as a rivalry, in that regard, the way that you're thinking of it. I mean, this is an opportunity against a team that has dominated our division for a long time, and you have to beat good teams if you're going to be any good, and you have to beat good teams in your division if you're going to be any good. And so, it's a great opportunity for us to play these guys. They're kind of rolling right now. They've been going good the last few weeks, and it's going be very difficult." 

Q: What has stood out to you about the way Andy Reid has built the Chiefs into the team they are today? 

Coach Carroll:  "Oh, man. Andy's [Reid] always been a great coach. He always has been and everywhere he's been. We all get knocked around some during the process of it, but to sustain, I think it's 10 years in a row they've won the division, I mean, that's remarkable, incredible consistency. 

“And that's because he's got it all in hand. He knows the whole thing. His team plays well in all three phases. They play complimentary football all the time. They've been doing it for the longest time, and it's sustained and it's beyond reproach. You can't even challenge anything that he's done. He's done great." 

Q: What's key to building off the success you had last week and taking it into this week? 

Coach Carroll: "Yeah, it's really important that we play well in all three phases like we've been talking about. We've got to find the balance, but one phase of it doesn't hold us back in some way. 

“So, we had a tremendous game on special teams last week, which was really important after what we've been through, defense did a great job and offense did what we needed to get it done to win a football game. We were ahead, we got to play with the lead, and we were able to hang on to that. So, much like I talk about any of these teams, you got to have really, all completely balanced approach or you just going to win sometimes and not other times. So, that's what we're shooting for."