Week 7 gave the AFC West a little of everything: a Raiders team that let another one get away from them, a Broncos surge that keeps building, and a Chiefs loss that finally made Kansas City look vulnerable.
The standings have tightened up again after the first chunk of the season. Kansas City sits at 5-1, Denver is right behind at 5-2, Las Vegas is 3-4, and the Los Angeles Chargers are still searching for their first win at 0-6.
For the Raiders, Sunday’s trip through all four quarters was ugly early and hollow late. Klint Kubiak’s group was down 28-3 before halftime in Las Vegas, and even though the final 35-21 scoreline looks a little more respectable, it never felt competitive.
The defense had no answer for Sean McVay’s passing game, couldn’t slow the run and kept tripping over miscommunications. Tackling issues popped up again, too.
The offense didn’t provide much relief. Kirk Cousins and the rest of the unit didn’t really get going until the game was already out of hand, the ground game was putrid again, and Tre Tucker was the only skill player who really left a mark. It was a flat showing from top to bottom.
There was at least one bright spot on special teams. Matt Gay missed a field goal, but Dylan Laube gave the Raiders a jolt with two big kick returns, and A.J.
Cole pulled off a fake-punt completion to Connor Heyward. That was about as much fun as Las Vegas had on the day.
Denver, meanwhile, keeps gathering steam. The Broncos beat the Arizona Cardinals comfortably in the late window, taking a 27-13 lead into the fourth quarter before widening the gap to as many as 17.
Bo Nix looked more like himself throwing the ball, and he also broke loose for a 62-yard rushing touchdown. Jonah Coleman continued to show well as a young back, and while no single pass-catcher stole the spotlight, the Broncos spread the ball around.
The defense did its part, too, holding Arizona down without forcing a takeaway.
That makes three straight wins for Denver, and the Broncos are now just a half-game back in the division. Next Sunday brings a huge one: they’ll face the Chiefs, with a chance to move into first place on their own.
Kansas City, for its part, took a hard step back on Sunday night in a 20-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The Chiefs looked stuck in the mud offensively, and Kenneth Walker III’s old team did a clean job of taking him out of the game, which dragged the whole attack with it. Patrick Mahomes finished with 165 passing yards and an interception, and the offense never found a rhythm.
The defense was solid enough in stretches, but it didn’t get the stops that mattered most. Harrison Butker also had another rough outing, missing two more field goals.
The Chargers were on bye in Week 7.
Looking ahead, Las Vegas goes on the road to face the New York Jets in Week 8, with a chance to get back to .500. East Coast trips have not been kind to the Raiders, and they already got blown out in an early kickoff earlier this season, though the Jets are coming off a win over the winless Miami Dolphins.
The Broncos and Chiefs will meet again in a matchup that could reshape the top of the division, just like their Week 4 meeting did. With only a half-game separating them, that Sunday afternoon showdown has real weight.
And the Chargers face their own pressure point. They’ll try to avoid starting 0-7 when they take on the Rams in a cross-town “road” game. The Rams looked strong in Week 7 despite being hit hard by injuries, so Jim Harbaugh’s team is staring at another difficult test.
In Other News...
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Jack Bechs return window adds another layer to a position group already waiting on Donte Thornton, who has been working back into the mix but still has not been activated. For Las Vegas, the timing matters because the roster math is getting more complicated by the day, and the next move on Thornton will say a lot about how the Raiders are planning to sort out the back end of their receiving depth. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Face Growing Trade Deadline Pressure They May Already Regret
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Raiders Keep Losing As One QB Decision Gets Harder To Defend
The Raiders quick start has faded fast, and the offense is now carrying the kind of questions that tend to follow a four-game losing streak. After opening 3-0, Las Vegas has sputtered enough to make every discussion about the quarterback spot louder, especially with veteran Kirk Cousins trying to steady an attack that has lost its early rhythm.
Fernando Mendoza was supposed to be part of the long view when the Raiders used the top pick on him, but his role has stayed far smaller than the buzz around him suggested. Klint Kubiak keeps backing Cousins as the starter and brushing aside any talk of a QB battle, even as the contrast between the proven veteran and the rookie's upside keeps hanging over a team that desperately needs its offense to find answers. [Read more 🡒]