Andy Reid didn’t sound like a coach brushing off a division opponent this week, and for good reason. The Chiefs are heading to Las Vegas for a matchup that suddenly carries real weight, with both Kansas City and the Raiders sitting at 3-0 and the AFC West lead on the line.
Kansas City’s last outing looked, at times, like a game it should have controlled more cleanly. The Chiefs beat the Dolphins 24-10 in Miami, but the performance was sloppy enough to leave room for concern. Now comes a much sharper test against a Raiders team that has been one of the league’s early surprises.
Las Vegas has already beaten the Dolphins, Chargers, and Saints, and it has done it by a combined point differential of +34. That’s a far cry from last year’s 3-14 finish, and it has the Raiders sitting in unfamiliar territory this early in the season. They’ve opened 3-0 for the second time since 2002, and they’ve already matched last season’s win total before October arrives.
Reid, speaking Monday on a YouTube livestream, made it clear he’s been impressed by what he’s seen from Klint Kubiak’s group.
"Yeah, I think it'll be a great atmosphere for a football game," Reid said. "I think they've done a nice job of improving their football team.
This is what it's all about, and I think it'll be great for the fans. It's a heck of a rivalry over the years, and the better the two teams are, the better the rivalry.
So, this is what it's all about."
The Raiders’ early surge has come with Kirk Cousins looking like a quarterback who has found a second wind at 38. He has thrown for 661 yards and an AFC-best nine touchdowns so far. Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, is still waiting in the wings, but there’s no need to rush him onto the field yet.
That’s what makes Sunday evening at Allegiant Stadium so intriguing. The Raiders and Chiefs are two of only three undefeated teams left in the AFC through three weeks, and one of them will lose that status when the game ends. Las Vegas will also have the backing of a loud home crowd, and there’s plenty of reason to expect the Raiders to make this one uncomfortable for Kansas City.
Even so, the bigger takeaway for the Chiefs is Reid’s message: no shortcuts, no overlooking the opponent, no treating this like a routine division trip. After the way Kansas City handled Miami, that matters.
In Other News...
Raiders Just Sent A Clear Message With This Receiver Decision
The Raiders kept busy with their receiver room this week, and the moves say a lot about how quickly this front office is willing to adjust. Las Vegas signed Cody White to the 53-man roster, placed Jack Bech on injured reserve, waived Justin Shorter and added Phillip Dorsett to the practice squad, a set of transactions that reflects how fluid the depth chart has become.
Whites promotion stands out because he has been the teams most productive wideout this season, scoring three touchdowns after arriving from the Seahawks practice squad. General manager John Spytek has made it clear the Raiders are not interested in standing still when a need opens up, and this latest shuffle leaves the receiver group with a new look while the bigger question is how the team plans to keep the position stabilized moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Just Got A Reminder Of Where They Stand With CBS
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The choice quickly drew pushback from fans who felt the Broncos and 49ers had the more meaningful game on the board. It also served as another reminder that Tony Romo remains away from broadcasting duties, leaving CBS to lean on its alternate lineup while its highest-profile booth continues to anchor the games the network deems most appealing. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Suddenly Have A Receiver Opportunity Worth Watching
The Raiders 3-0 start has been built on complementary football, but the passing game still has room to grow, especially on the perimeter. Through the early part of the 2026 season, Las Vegas has not gotten much from its wide receiver group, which makes any potential upgrade at the position worth monitoring as the calendar moves deeper into the fall.
One name now surfacing in that discussion is Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jaguars, whose usage and production have dipped enough to spark trade speculation. The idea is simple enough from the Raiders side: if a talented receiver becomes available and the fit makes sense, Las Vegas could be in the market for help, even if the door on a deal is only just beginning to crack open. [Read more 🡒]