While the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs have a historic rivalry, the two teams haven’t met with first place in the AFC West on the line in about a decade (Dec. 8, 2016). Technically, Las Vegas has never been involved in this type of matchup with Kansas City since the Raiders were still in Oakland back then.
It’s still early in the season, but the Week 4 contest between the Raiders and Chiefs is one of the biggest regular-season games the Silver and Black have played in a long time. To preview
the huge matchup, Silver and Black Pride reached out to our frienemies at Arrowhead Pride, and Maurice Elston was kind enough to answer a few questions about Kansas City for Raider Nation.
Q: Kenneth Walker III was the Chiefs’ big offseason addition and hasn’t disappointed, with 442 yards from scrimmage and four total touchdowns in the first three games. How has he revitalized Kansas City’s offense?
A: The easiest way to explain Walker’s impact is that Patrick Mahomes has never had a 1,000-yard rusher during his career as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback. Kareem Hunt rushed for 824 yards in 11 games during Mahomes’ first season as the starter before being released, but every Chiefs backfield since then has consisted primarily of serviceable players rather than a dynamic, home-run threat like Walker.
Walker has helped Kansas City operate from under center and lean more heavily on play action. Against Miami, Mahomes completed 11 of 12 play-action passes for 183 yards. That is a dimension we have not consistently seen from this offense in recent years, when it relied more heavily on shotgun formations and RPOs.
Walker’s success also changes how defenses must prepare for Kansas City. In previous seasons, opponents could concentrate on limiting Mahomes and preventing explosive passing plays. Now, if a defense sits back in coverage with light boxes, Kansas City can hand the ball to Walker. His presence has restored balance and forced opponents to defend every part of the offense.
Q: What’s going on with expected starting left tackle Josh Simmons? Is there any timeline for his return? What can you tell us about Fernando Mendoza’s college teammate, Kahlil Benson, who has been filling in for Simmons?
A: The Chiefs have been extremely vague about Josh Simmons’ back injury. Andy Reid has described him as week-to-week but has not provided a firm timetable, recently telling reporters that he would let them know when Simmons was ready to return. I do not believe anyone outside the organization can confidently offer more than assumptions right now.
One of my high school coaches always said that you cannot worry about who is not on the field—you have to focus on who is. Right now, that player is Kahlil Benson, an undrafted rookie who played with Fernando Mendoza at Indiana.
Benson has experienced some expected challenges while transitioning from primarily playing on the right side to starting at left tackle in the NFL. However, nobody should be disappointed with his overall performance. Through three games, he has allowed six pressures and two quarterback hits but no sacks. He has been particularly effective as a run blocker, earning a 74.7 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus.
His pass protection has been serviceable, and sometimes that is exactly what an offense needs from a rookie thrown into this situation. He certainly has not hurt the offense. Sunday’s matchup with Maxx Crosby will easily be one of the most difficult tests he has faced.
Q: It’s only been three games, but Travis Kelce has his highest yards per game (77.0) since 2022 and looks much more like his old self so far this season. Besides marrying one of the biggest celebrities in the world over the summer, what’s been different for Kelce compared to the last three or four years?
A: The improved running and play-action games have helped Kelce as much as anyone. He remains an excellent route runner who understands how to find the soft spots in a defense. Now, linebackers and safeties must respect Walker and the running game before dropping into coverage.
Kansas City has used play action on 36% of its passing plays, the highest rate in the league. That has helped create open space for Kelce, who has 14 catches for 231 yards and is averaging 16.5 yards per reception through three games.
Kelce also deserves personal credit. He appears to be in some of the best shape we have seen him in over the past few seasons, and he is playing with a fire that seemed to be missing at times during the last couple of years. I believe he will return to the 1,000-yard mark this season and remind everyone why he is still one of the NFL’s best tight ends—and, in my opinion, the greatest tight end of all time.
Q: Kansas City made some significant changes in the secondary this offseason, most notably trading away All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and drafting Mansoor Delane as McDuffie’s replacement. How have the rookie and the rest of the defensive backfield looked so far?
A: Delane could not have scripted a much better beginning to his career. He intercepted the first NFL pass thrown in his direction against Denver, although he injured his shoulder on the play. He missed the remainder of that game and dressed against Indianapolis only as an emergency option.
His first complete game came against Miami, and he showed why the Chiefs selected him sixth overall. Delane recorded 10 tackles, including a tackle for loss, and broke up a fourth-down pass. He was targeted seven times and allowed five completions, but those catches produced only 24 yards. His tackling, physicality and ability to limit yards after the catch were impressive.
Opposite Delane, Nohl Williams has been excellent. I believe the Chiefs’ belief in Williams—and what they saw from him as a rookie—helped give them the confidence to trade McDuffie. Delane and Williams already look capable of becoming a strong young outside-cornerback combination.
The rest of the secondary has been more inconsistent. L’Jarius Sneed has allowed an 80% completion rate when targeted, although he continues to contribute in other ways. Against Miami, he generated five pressures as a blitzer and forced a turnover. The safeties had a difficult game against the Dolphins, with Alohi Gilman taking some poor angles and Jaden Hicks not playing the ball as well as we are accustomed to seeing.
Chamarri Conner’s eventual return from his knee injury should help. It will also give us our first real opportunity to see him consistently play his natural safety position rather than primarily working in the slot. This is a young secondary, but I expect it to improve as the season progresses.
Q: When it comes to the Chiefs’ defensive line, Raider Nation knows Chris Jones and George Karlaftis pretty well at this point. But is there a d-lineman or two who is new or flying under the radar and could make a major impact on Sunday?
A: R Mason Thomas is the first player who comes to mind. The rookie has natural pass-rushing ability, gets off the ball quickly and already has his first NFL sack. His role is also expanding. He played 41 defensive snaps against Miami, which was 10 more than starter Felix Anudike-Uzomah.
Peter Woods is another rookie whose role continues to grow. He played 35 snaps against Miami, five more than starting defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga. Woods has not produced many traditional pass-rushing statistics yet, but he is becoming a bigger part of the defensive-line rotation every week.
The player I would watch most closely Sunday, however, is Anudike-Uzomah.
He is in a contract year after the Chiefs declined his fifth-year option, and he has quietly played solid football. The Chiefs’ overall pass rush has not been as productive as expected, but some of that can be attributed to Chris Jones playing through a calf injury. Once Jones returns to full strength and starts dominating the interior again, it should create more one-on-one opportunities for Anudike-Uzomah, Thomas and the other edge rushers.
