There's a lot of hype surrounding this game. Hype we've rarely seen in the past decade or so because the Raiders so often appear completely outmatched by the Chiefs. And, no, the toilet bowl at the end of last season doesn't count. This time, these two teams are undefeated, both feeling they earned their record and a win on Sunday would cement that.
Raiders reasons for optimism vs Chiefs
1. Brock Bowers back with a vengeance
In week three, Brock Bowers made his 2026 season debut. When he was officially active, there was concern that perhaps the Raiders were rushing him back. After all, he had just had a meniscus trim procedure the week before the opener. He took the field with the starters, and immediately put those fears to rest. Brock was back. Among his 10 catches in the game was the one that put the Raiders up for good.
He is the Raiders best weapon and his presence offers a dynamic that the Chiefs will be forced to focus their attention. And probably still won’t be able to keep him from gouging them.
2. Raiders not committing self-inflicted wounds
Even when the Raiders have shown life in the past, it always feels like the other shoe is going to drop. And those mistakes often come in the form of penalties putting them in a hole or negating any gains they had. Not this season. They have fewer penalty yards than any team in the league. And it’s not because they’re getting favorable calls either. They’re just more disciplined. A big key to winning is plugging away until the other team makes a mistake and then capitalizing on that. Play a clean game and don’t shoot yourself in the foot and you give yourself the best chance to come out with the win.
3. Everyone not named Kenneth Walker
Walker has been practically a one-man show in KC this season. And the primary reason they are 3-0 right now. Outside of him, this is basically the same Chiefs team that went 6-8 before Patrick Mahomes was lost to injury. They are beatable. They just get more credit for being 3-0 than the Raiders because they’re proven winners, making people see last season as more of a one-off which they will bounce back from. But there’s no guarantee of that. Keeping Walker contained is no small task, but if they can do it, there’s no reason they can’t take this game.
See the Raiders causes for concern Week 4 vs Chiefs
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: 3 reasons for optimism for Raiders Week 4 vs Chiefs
