The Las Vegas Raiders have the Kansas City Chiefs circled on their calender. Twice, as a matter of fact. Last season, the Raiders played the Chiefs close in their two game series, taking a commanding victory in the final matchup on Christmas Day.
Beating the Chiefs, let alone playing competitive football against them, is no small feat. AFC West rival or not. The Chiefs have won three of the last five Super Bowls and appeared in four of them. They have the best coach in the league, Andy Reid, and the best quarterback of this generation in Patrick Mahomes.
The Raiders' No. 1 goal in re-establishing themselves as a top team in the AFC, and contending for an AFC West division title, runs through Kansas City. The Chiefs are attempting a three-peat run as Super Bowl champions and will look to be dominant again. According to some in the media, it doesn't look as easy as it was before.
Gennaro Filice of NFL.com pointed out a weakness that could hurt the most vital part of the Chiefs' game -- offense. He pointed out the receiving core as the cause for concern.
"Dealing with multiple injuries -- and potentially just the effects of aging --Travis Kelce fell short of 1,000 yards receiving for the first time since 2015. Without the tight end playing at an All-Pro level, the burden fell on Kansas City’s receivers to produce. Most failed to answer the bell," Filice wrote. "The lone bright spot was rookie Rashee Rice, who really came on in the back half of the year, seemingly setting himself up for a full breakout in 2024. But now Rice’s status is up in the air following a car-racing crash in April that could result in a suspension under the NFL's personal conduct policy. On the plus side, the Chiefs added a pair of explosive receivers this offseason: free-agent signee Marquise Brown and first-round pick Xavier Worthy. Though both are small, Brown and Worthy possess the kind of blazing speed that can stretch a defense beyond its limits, which is something the back-to-back Super Bowl champs have struggled to do since trading Tyreek Hill."
Filice wrote it was a big question-mark of how fast the chemistry could be established between the new receivers and their All-Pro quarterback. Rice's legal issues will cost the Chiefs. Kelce's age and even the fast pace off-field life he has been living could take a toll on his production, too.
These concerns for the Chiefs could be realized this season when they take the field. If that happens, the road to a three-peat will be a whole lot rockier. As for the Raiders, who already have the Chiefs' number, it could open up the possibility for more wins against their bitter rival.
The Raiders have built a bruising defense with the sole focus of stopping the Chiefs' vaunted offense. If the offense isn't there for the Chiefs, how will they fare against a dominant defensive line with Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins, Malcolm Koonce, and Tyree Wilson, and a linebacker group with the likes of Robert Spillane, Divine Deablo, and potentially Tommy Eichenberg?
