kansascity
For the first time in years, the Las Vegas Raiders arrived at a matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs looking like a team that had finally put all the pieces together. The Raiders, long a divisional rival with a rich history, gave the Chiefs all they could handle on Sunday, signaling that the intense 'Raider Week' atmosphere may be back for good.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid acknowledged the challenge before the game. 'They're a good football team, and we knew it coming in,' Reid said. 'We figured it would take four quarters of good, hard football.' He added, 'It is the Raiders. It is an AFC rival, and there's a ton of tradition there. And they're building it here, and with that competition, it increases it even more.'
The Raiders' resurgence starts under center, where veteran Kirk Cousins has taken the reins on a one-year deal. Signed to start and mentor 2026 No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, Cousins has looked fully recovered from the Achilles tear he suffered in November 2023. Through four games, he has been sharp and efficient, drawing praise from opposing defenders.
'He's extremely smart, doesn't make a lot of mistakes,' Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis said. 'He gets rid of the ball real quick. He's one of those consistent guys over the past decade or so. So we have a lot of respect for him. I know (Steve Spagnuolo) does, and we talked about it all week. And it's evident in both their record and the way they're playing.'
Cousins torched the Chiefs for 365 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday, showcasing the form that made him a Pro Bowl quarterback. His performance while mentoring Mendoza is reminiscent of Alex Smith's role in 2017, when he guided Patrick Mahomes during his rookie season in Kansas City. Mahomes, who took over for Smith the following year, sees parallels.
'Kirk's a true pro, a quarterback, and knows how to run the room, the team, everything, the right way,' Mahomes said. 'He's going to do it the right way. And so you saw that today. He's coming off injury too. He had a bad injury late in his career, and for him to kind of get back to where he was before that – to be able to deal. He's started the season off great. And so it'll be great for Fernando to learn and just take in because you don't know until you're in the NFL. So hopefully not too much, because it went really well for me and Alex, and hopefully maybe not that much unless I'm gone or something like that.'
Under Smith, the Chiefs went 10-6 in 2017 before losing in the Wild Card Round. The Raiders, meanwhile, seem poised to challenge for their first postseason berth since 2021 – which would be only their third appearance since falling in Super Bowl XXXVII.
And it's not just the quarterback situation that mirrors Kansas City's blueprint. Just as the Chiefs had tight end Travis Kelce when Mahomes took over, the Raiders boast a superstar tight end in Brock Bowers. Bowers caught six passes for 86 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs, and his presence opened up opportunities for fellow tight end Michael Mayer, who added eight catches for 82 yards.
'They did a good job of finding different ways to get him open,' Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said of Bowers. 'I think the OC's done a great job of mixing up different looks from different locations, putting him outside as wide receiver – some of the big personnel, and then bringing him in there and playing traditional tight end. So you've got to find him in the formation. He's done a good job of mixing up formations and running him through his route tree and finding ways to get him open.'
The Raiders' offensive play-caller is head coach Klint Kubiak, who joined the team after one season in Seattle. Kubiak had the Chiefs on the ropes Sunday, and though his team fell short, he earned Reid's respect. 'I think Klint's done a nice job,' Reid said. 'I think he's holding the guys accountable for what he wants to get done. You can see that in their discipline of play. They haven't had a lot of turnovers, haven't had a lot of penalties on either side. So I think the guys are trying to do what he's asking them to do and he's demanding it. And it shows.'
Defensively, the Raiders have long been defined by Maxx Crosby, but now they've surrounded him with a capable supporting cast. Las Vegas pressured Mahomes all day, with Crosby sharing a sack with defensive tackle Adam Butler, and linebacker Quay Walker bending the edge to take down Mahomes in the red zone. Walker signed with the Raiders this offseason after four years in Green Bay. Linebacker Nakobe Dean, who had five tackles, came from Philadelphia. Las Vegas also added pass rusher Kwity Paye from Indianapolis and traded a sixth-round pick to Buffalo for Taron Johnson.
'Defensively, they got a lot of veteran guys that came over to add into the talent they had,' Mahomes said. 'And the D-line, the linebackers and then the secondary all were playing together and really getting us off the field a lot of the time. We had some explosive plays there – especially toward the end – that really helped us. But that's a really good football team.'
Rivalries are often defined by mutual competitiveness, and while the Raiders have occasionally upset the Chiefs over the years, Sunday felt different. The Silver and Black have re-arrived, and their trajectory seems pointed upward.
'I've been in the division for a long time, and they've always had good players,' said safety Alohi Gilman, who spent five years with the Chargers before a year in Baltimore. 'I feel like this is probably the more complete team that they have. And so it's good how they play off each other, complementary football. Obviously, we got the edge on them today. Special teams outperformed them. So it's a great team, and they're going to be really good, and we'll see them again.'
This bitter rivalry, which dates back to the 1960s, will see its second 2026 installment at Arrowhead Stadium in January. And if the Raiders' early-season play and Sunday's slugfest are any indication, it might not be the last time these two teams meet in January.
Originally reported by kansascity.