Improved Raiders team has Chiefs’ attention after loss: ‘We won’t forget this day’
The Chiefs had every right to enter Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders with confidence.
Kansas City was riding a 13-game winning streak, including the postseason, dating back to Week 11 of the 2019 season and had won five straight games over their AFC West rivals.
The Raiders, however, had other ideas and effectively announced they are a team to deal with after a 40-32 win at Arrowhead Stadium.
They have the Chiefs’ attention.
“(Raiders head coach) Jon Gruden, he built a remarkable team over there with the speed, with Derek Carr, that offensive line and that running back, (Josh) Jacobs,” Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones said. “They came out ready to play today, fired on all cylinders. Give it to them; they beat us.”
Gruden’s team is one of many in the AFC engaged in an arms race with the Chiefs, as the Raiders loaded up with talent on both sides of the ball over the past two seasons. And the additions, especially on offense, paid off in Week 5.
Jacobs, one of two of the Raiders’ first-round picks in 2019, continued his success against the Chiefs by rushing for 77 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. In three career games against Kansas City, Jacobs has 280 yards on the ground, averaging 93.3 yards per game.
Rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs blistered the Chiefs deep with two catches for 118 yards, which included a 72-yard touchdown. Ruggs, who possesses 4.27 speed in the 40-yard dash, helped pace a big-play passing attack, defined as plays of 20 or more yards, against the Chiefs.
The Raiders totaled six plays of 20 or more yards through the air and Ruggs accounted for two of them on the 72-yard touchdown and a 46-yard catch. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor snagged a 59-yard catch for a touchdown, second-year wide receiver Hunter Renfrow hauled in a 42-yard grab, tight end Darren Waller caught a 23-yard pass and fullback Alec Ingold even got in the act with a 23-yard catch.
“You got to give those guys credit,” said Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, who was locked up deep on Agholor on the scoring play. “They get paid, too.
“I thought their coaches did a good job of catching us in certain coverages, catching us in certain calls even on a lot of those third-and-1, third-and-2, they schemed us up pretty well.”
In the meantime, Sunday’s game further served a bit of notice that the Raiders, who improved to 3-2 and sit a game behind the Chiefs (4-1) in the AFC West, might have done enough to rekindle what has been a rivalry in name only.
Las Vegas beat the Chiefs at their own game with big plays to set up an interesting time between now and Week 11, when these two teams will play again.
Consider Sunday’s loss a source of motivation for the Chiefs.
“We won’t ever forget this day,” Mathieu said. “We’ll see them again. We’ll be ready next time.”
