Chiefs vs. Raiders prediction: Patrick Mahomes leads KC to victory in Vegas
The most interesting NFL game of the week goes down in Las Vegas.The Chiefs and Raiders both enter Week 4 at 3-0 and have impressed every step of the way.Like two prized fighters meeting on the strip for a huge boxing match, someone’s O has to go this week.Sportsbooks list the Chiefs as 4.5-point road favorites for Sunday’s matchup, but the public is split on which side will cover.Taking a flier on Kirk Cousins turned out to be a stroke of genius for the Raiders.
With Cousins and head coach Klint Kubiak running the offense, the Raiders are averaging 29.3 points per game this season, tied with the Chiefs and Cowboys for sixth-most in the NFL.Adding tight end Brock Bowers back into the mix last week gave a glimpse of the true potential of their offense.Cousins targeted Bowers early and often, and the standout receiver already has the second-most receiving yards on the team after one game.The defense has been impressive, too.
The Raiders rank 11th in yards allowed per game and first in takeaways with five fumble recoveries and four interceptions.Their pass rush has registered the fourth-most sacks and the second-highest pressure rate (36.3 percent) despite sitting near the bottom of the league in blitz percentage (19.5 percent).The combination of a steady offense and a defense that can get to the quarterback without needing extra players to generate pressure makes this a fascinating matchup for the Chiefs.Patrick Mahomes needed one game to find his form, and he’s on pace to be more accurate and effective than he’s ever been in his career.Against normal pressure, Mahomes is completing 67.6 percent of his passes.
Against the blitz, that number jumps to 70.8 percent.The addition of a running game makes him even more dangerous because defenses can’t take away both threats at the same time.The Chiefs’ running game can also be the difference maker by keeping Cousins and the Raiders offense off the field.I do believe this Raiders team is actually as good as th...