The Raiders have spent three weeks giving everyone reasons to reconsider them.
Now comes an opportunity to change the conversation entirely.
The unbeaten Chiefs arrive at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday for a meeting between 3-0 AFC West rivals, presenting the Raiders with their most revealing examination yet. Beating Kansas City would put them alone atop the division and give their encouraging September a considerably more imposing follow-up.
For a team learning how to win under first-year coach Klint Kubiak, the assignment demands another step forward.
The Raiders have shown resilience, resourcefulness and an ability to deliver when games tighten. Their defense has forced a league-leading nine turnovers, while quarterback Kirk Cousins has provided the experience and composure to capitalize on those opportunities.
They needed all of it in New Orleans, overcoming an 11-point second-half deficit with 19 unanswered points in a 35-27 victory. The defense took the ball away on the Saints’ final four possessions, repeatedly giving the offense opportunities to complete the comeback.
It was an impressive response.
Against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, the Raiders would be wise to avoid needing another rescue mission.
Kansas City brings a familiar quarterback-coach partnership and a new complication in running back Kenneth Walker III. His ability to turn a crease into a substantial gain makes the Chiefs more difficult to defend and creates additional opportunities for Mahomes to manipulate linebackers and safeties with play-action.
Walker scored rushing and receiving touchdowns in Kansas City’s 24-10 victory over Miami last week. Mahomes completed 20 of 24 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns, offering a reminder of how efficiently this offense can operate when the pieces work together.
The Raiders must disrupt that rhythm without losing their discipline.
Maxx Crosby and the defensive front need to affect Mahomes while maintaining rush lanes. Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker must balance their responsibilities against the run with the passing threats developing behind them. And a young secondary cannot allow extended plays to become invitations for Travis Kelce to find open space.
The other side of the matchup is equally important.
Cousins has a difference-maker in Brock Bowers, whose season debut produced 10 catches, 116 yards and a touchdown against New Orleans. Bowers gives Kubiak a player he can move around the formation to challenge coverage and create opportunities for others.
But the Raiders need more dependable production from their running game.
Ashton Jeanty managed 56 yards on 19 carries against the Saints. Mike Washington Jr.’s 36-yard touchdown supplied a needed spark, but consistent gains would make life easier for Cousins and help keep the entire playbook available.
The Raiders also must finish scoring opportunities. Penalties and missed chances have complicated games they ultimately found ways to win.
Kansas City presents a smaller margin for those mistakes.
The Raiders have earned the chance to play a meaningful early-season game against the Chiefs. Sunday will help determine how ready they are to take advantage of it.
Marquee matchup: Travis Kelce vs. Jeremy Chinn
Chinn’s physicality and willingness to attack helped the Raiders close out New Orleans, where his fourth-down strip-sack stopped a potential tying drive. This week requires that same aggression with exceptional discipline.
Kelce remains dangerous because of his understanding of coverage and his connection with Mahomes, especially when the quarterback extends plays. Chinn will share responsibility for containing him, with communication and clean coverage exchanges essential.
The Raiders cannot let Kelce slip behind linebackers drawn toward the run or lose him when Mahomes leaves the pocket. Winning this matchup means limiting easy completions and yards after the catch while making Kansas City work for its third-down conversions.
Marquee matchup: Kenneth Walker III vs. Nakobe Dean
Walker gives Kansas City an explosive runner capable of punishing a defense that gets overly consumed with Mahomes. Dean gives the Raiders a linebacker whose range and nose for the football have helped decide consecutive road victories.
He forced crucial late fumbles against both the Chargers and Saints, but his first responsibility Sunday is helping prevent Walker from reaching the secondary. Dean must read his keys, fit the correct gap and finish tackles against a runner capable of changing direction quickly.
The defensive line has to keep him from getting swallowed by blockers. If Walker consistently wins on early downs, Dean’s coverage responsibilities become more difficult as Kansas City expands its play-action opportunities.
The pick: Chiefs 30, Raiders 27
The Raiders have enough offensive firepower and defensive playmaking to make this a four-quarter game.
Bowers gives Cousins a reliable answer in difficult situations, and the home crowd should add energy to a team already playing with confidence. But Kansas City’s balance presents a challenge the Raiders have yet to solve against an opponent of this caliber.
Walker’s running creates opportunities for Mahomes, and the Chiefs make one more scoring possession count. The Raiders push them to the finish, but an inconsistent running game and one missed opportunity prove costly.
Four downs
First down: Stop the run
The first step toward containing Mahomes is making sure Walker does not dictate the game. Kansas City can use productive early-down runs to keep its offense out of obvious passing situations and make play-action more convincing.
The Raiders need their defensive tackles to hold their ground, their edges to maintain contain and their linebackers to arrive under control. Missed tackles could turn manageable gains into explosive plays.
The goal is to make Kansas City earn its rushing yards and create enough second-and-long and third-and-long situations for Crosby and the pass rush to attack with a clearer understanding of what is coming.
Second down: Get the running game going
The Raiders cannot keep asking Cousins to compensate for an inconsistent ground attack. Jeanty averaged less than 3 yards per carry against New Orleans, and Washington’s 36-yard touchdown accounted for a substantial portion of the team’s rushing production.
Better execution begins with the offensive line creating usable lanes and avoiding penetration that disrupts runs before they develop. Washington has earned consideration for more opportunities, but the broader need is consistency.
Four- and five-yard gains would help Kubiak sustain drives, reduce difficult third downs and make play-action more effective. Against Kansas City, the Raiders need a running game they can trust throughout the afternoon.
Third down: Feed Brock Bowers
With Kelce on the opposite sideline, Bowers gets another stage to demonstrate how much he already influences games. His return immediately expanded the Raiders’ passing offense, giving Cousins a target capable of winning contested catches and creating after the reception.
Kubiak should keep moving him around, using different alignments to identify coverage and discourage Kansas City from defending him the same way every snap. Getting Bowers involved early also forces the Chiefs to show how much help they intend to devote to him.
When that attention creates favorable opportunities for Tre Tucker, Michael Mayer or the running backs, Cousins must take advantage.
Fourth down: Win the turnover battle
Nine takeaways through three games have helped the Raiders overcome mistakes and seize control of close contests. They need that emphasis to travel into this matchup, while recognizing Mahomes will punish defenders who abandon assignments chasing interceptions.
Pressure, disciplined coverage and multiple tacklers attacking the football offer the best formula. Dean’s late forced fumbles in consecutive games illustrate the value of finishing every play.
Just as important, Cousins and the offense must protect their own possessions. Giving Kansas City a short field can undo an otherwise strong defensive series.
In a game with little separation, one extra possession could determine the winner.
