The Raiders came out of their Week 4 loss to the Chiefs with a clearer picture of what this team is and where the rough edges still show. At 3-0 entering Sunday, Las Vegas finally got the kind of test that tells you something real, and Kansas City provided it.
One of the biggest takeaways was just how dangerous the Raiders can be when they lean into their tight ends. That group is already a strength, and Sunday only reinforced it.
Brock Bowers may be the headline name - and the source of plenty of attention - but Michael Mayer and Ian Thomas make this a trio with real value in both the passing game and the run game. Thomas was left wide open for the game’s opening touchdown, and four of Kirk Cousins’ first five throws went to tight ends.
That wasn’t a coincidence. With the Raiders planning to attack the wide receiver spot by committee, the tight ends were part of that committee on Sunday.
Jack Bech’s absence was felt early, and the passing game needed help beyond the receivers who were available. Las Vegas got that help from one of its deepest position groups.
The offense also had to deal with the Chiefs’ defense at its toughest level yet under Klint Kubiak, and it did so without Bech and starting offensive guard Jackson Powers-Johnson. Even so, the Raiders still had multiple snaps where pass-catchers were running free, on top of Thomas’ score. The play design and execution stood out again, and that has been a theme through the first four games.
That’s the part that keeps pointing back to the offseason goal of finding a coach and play-caller who can hold up in today’s league. Kubiak had already shown he could do that as an offensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks, and he’s now showing it as the lead man in Las Vegas. He and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko have clearly worked well together so far.
On defense, rookie Masses had a tougher afternoon. There’s a lot of belief in him, and the fit with what the Raiders need in the secondary is obvious. The expectation level is high, which means the criticism comes with it.
Last week, even with his interception and a strong overall showing, Masses was already in this category. Chris Olave had some good routes against him, but the result of the game and the chaos of the fourth quarter covered that up. Kansas City made sure to test him more directly.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs targeted Masses, and this time the rookie gave up a touchdown along with other completions. After winning the AFC Defensive Player of the Week Award in his very first start, Mahomes was always going to come after him.
None of that means the struggles are alarming. It does mean the rookie is still learning, especially against sharp route runners and offensive staffs that build plans specifically to challenge him. That kind of growth only comes with reps, and Sunday was another reminder of that.
As for the offensive line, the Raiders didn’t have Powers-Johnson, but the group mostly looked the same without him. His talent isn’t the issue.
His durability is. Caleb Rogers being serviceable could end up mattering more than it first sounds, and maybe it really is a changing of the guard.
Pun intended.
In Other News...
Raiders Were At Center Of A Brutal Late Chiefs Controversy
The Raiders trip to Kansas City turned into one of those divisional finishes that leaves everybody talking long after the final whistle. In a 30-27 Chiefs win, Las Vegas found itself at the center of a late controversy when a catch ruling went the Raiders way and was finalized before a review could be requested, adding a fresh layer of tension to an already tight game.
Kansas City still managed to close it out, with safety Xavier Nwankpa coming up with an interception that helped swing the ending back in the Chiefs favor. A penalty against the Raiders then further tipped the final sequence, turning a disputed moment into another frustrating chapter in a rivalry that rarely comes without drama. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Pressure Is Building Around One Move They May Not Delay
The narrow loss to the Chiefs only sharpened a conversation that has been building around the Raiders for weeks: this offense still looks like it needs a true No. 1 wide receiver. On Raider Nation Radio, Q Myers made the case that receiver help should be at the top of the teams shopping list, and the timing matters with the November 10 trade deadline drawing closer.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has even been floated as a speculative name if he were to become available, a reminder of how aggressive the Raiders may need to be if they want to change the shape of this passing game. For a team trying to keep pace in a tight AFC race, the pressure is no longer just about making a move, but about whether they can afford to wait much longer to make it. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Let Chiefs Game Slip Away After A Few Brutal Decisions
The Raiders had a chance to make life difficult for the undefeated Chiefs at home in an AFC West matchup, and for stretches they were right there. The game swung on a series of big moments, from Kansas Citys fake punt to scoring drives that kept both sides trading the lead, while Las Vegas answered with touchdown throws from Kirk Cousins to Ian Thomas and Michael Mayer.
Still, the kind of game the Raiders needed to finish cleanly started to tilt the other way on a few brutal decisions and mistakes. A critical Dareke Young fumble added to the frustration, and Kansas City kept finding answers, including a late fourth-quarter touchdown run by Kenneth Walker III, leaving Las Vegas to wonder how a winnable game got away. [Read more 🡒]