Matt Cassel to Start For Kansas City

After missing Kansas City's season opening loss in Baltimore with an MCL injury suffered in the preseason, Matt Cassel is expected to make his Chiefs debut on Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, according to Jason LaCanfora of the NFL Network.

Cassel was the big offseason addition in Kansas City, coming over in a trade that sent a second-round draft pick to the New England after the Patriots designated the 27-year-old signal-caller as their franchise player. The Chiefs then signed him to a long-term contract extension in July reportedly worth over $60 million.

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In Cassel's absence against the Ravens last Sunday, Brodie Croyle earned the start and managed to keep the Chiefs in the game well into the second half, completing 16 of 24 passes for 177 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.

For his debut with the Chiefs, Cassel will be going up against an Oakland defense that raised quite a few eyebrows in a 24-20 loss to the San Diego Chargers for its relentless physical play. The Raiders intercepted Phillip Rivers once and sacked him three times, including a pair from the newly acquired Richard Seymour, before surrendering a pair of touchdowns in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter.

Cassel started 15 games for the Patriots in 2008 following Tom Brady's season-ending knee injury and completed over 63 percent of his passes while throwing for over 3,600 yards.