The Raiders must stop the Chiefs’ biggest weapon, who’s not Patrick Mahomes, if they want to beat them
The Kansas City offense that has evolved into a much more balanced attack
T he Las Vegas Raiders have spent the first three weeks of the 2026 season answering questions nobody expected them to face this early. Are they actually this good?
Can Kirk Cousins keep the offense rolling? Can the defense make enough plays to sustain an undefeated start?
On Sunday, the Raiders will face their biggest test yet when the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs visit Allegiant Stadium . And according to NFL.com senior staff editor Brooke Cersosimo, one matchup could determine whether Las Vegas remains unbeaten: Kenneth Walker III.
The Chiefs' running back enters Week 4 as the NFL's leading rusher, and Cersosimo identified limiting Walker as a "huge key" to the game in her NFL.com matchup analysis. She picked the Raiders to win 26-24. That puts the spotlight directly on a Kansas City offense that has evolved into a much more balanced attack.
Kenneth Walker has changed the Chiefs' offense
Patrick Mahomes remains the centerpiece , but Kansas City's early success has not been built entirely around its quarterback. Walker has given the Chiefs a legitimate rushing threat capable of changing the way defenses approach them. Through three games, Walker has rushed 65 times for 360 yards, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, while adding two rushing touchdowns. He has also caught 11 passes for 82 yards.
His first three performances illustrate the problem facing Las Vegas. Walker opened the season with 173 rushing yards against Denver, followed that with 117 against Indianapolis and then added 70 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown against Miami. He also caught six passes for 61 yards against the Colts.
The Raiders cannot simply focus on Mahomes and assume the Chiefs will have to win through the air. That would create exactly the kind of opening Walker has exploited throughout the first three weeks. Cersosimo pointed to Mahomes' return toward his MVP-caliber level as another reason Kansas City's offense has become increasingly dangerous.
With Eric Bieniemy back as offensive coordinator, the Chiefs have paired Mahomes' passing ability with a more productive ground game. That combination creates a different problem for Las Vegas. If the Raiders commit too heavily to stopping Walker, Mahomes has the ability to punish them. If they prioritize keeping Patrick contained, Walker can force the defense to repeatedly defend the run.
The Raiders need to prevent Kansas City from dictating those terms
This is not the same Raiders team that has struggled to establish itself in recent seasons. Las Vegas is 3-0 and enters Sunday with the NFL's best turnover differential at plus-five. The defense is also tied for fifth in the league with 10 sacks, giving the Raiders two of the ingredients they need to challenge an offense as experienced as Kansas City's : takeaways and pressure.
The offense has also developed an identity. Cousins has thrown three touchdown passes in each of the Raiders ' first three games while working in Klint Kubiak's system . Through three games, he has 661 passing yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions. And he has an intriguing matchup against a Kansas City defense that frequently uses man coverage.
According to the data cited by Cersosimo, the Chiefs have played man coverage on 37.6 percent of opposing dropbacks, fifth-most in the NFL. Cousins has been particularly productive against man this season, posting six touchdown passes, no interceptions and a 126.2 passer rating in those situations.
That gives Las Vegas a path to attack. Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty have to deliver The Raiders will need more than Cousins to beat Kansas City. Cersosimo specifically highlighted Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty as players who need to make an impact.
Bowers is coming off a Week 3 performance that earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Jeanty provides Las Vegas with another explosive element out of the backfield. The Raiders will need both players to force Kansas City's defense to account for more than Cousins and the passing game. That could be especially important if the Chiefs try to make Cousins beat them from the pocket.
