Three Matchups That Will Decide Chiefs vs. Raiders in Week 4

It may be only three games into the season, but Sunday's showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders carries weight this rivalry has not felt in quite some time.

Quarterback Mahomes is 13-2 against the Raiders in his career, and both losses were unforgettable. One came when Jon Gruden's squad famously took victory laps around Arrowhead Stadium in 2020. The other spoiled Kansas City's Christmas in 2023 in the middle of their second consecutive Super Bowl run.

The winner of this game moves into sole possession of first place in the AFC West, and the loser falls closer to the pack. Here are the three matchups that will decide it.

Brock Bowers vs. the Chiefs' secondary

He may have only one 1,000-yard season to his name and one game logged this season, but there is a legitimate case to be made that Brock Bowers is one of the biggest mismatches in the NFL. The 23-year-old is an inch or two shorter and about 15 pounds lighter than Travis Kelce, but his dominance resembles his heyday.

You never know where he will line up on any given snap. In his season debut against the Saints last week, he caught 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown while lining up inline nine times, in the slot 18 times, and out wide 26 times.

His movement is elite for a tight end, his hands are exceptional, and his catch radius is enormous regardless of alignment. He is too quick for linebackers and has the size over defensive backs. Kirk Cousins targeted him 14 times last week and likely would not blink at doing it again.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo traditionally does well when tasked with shutting down an opponent's primary weapon, but this one presents a unique challenge. Bowers in the slot is a problem for L'Jarius Sneed, who has already had a rough week in coverage this season. Bowers out wide is a size mismatch against either Nohl Williams or Mansoor Delane, both of whom are physical enough to compete but not used to seeing a tight end with this kind of athleticism.

Safeties Alohi Gilman, Chamarri Conner, and Jaden Hicks will need to provide help no matter where he lines up. Nobody outside of Spagnuolo's meeting room knows exactly how they plan to handle it, but it is the biggest thing to watch for on Sunday afternoon.

Maxx Crosby vs. Jaylon Moore

The natural assumption heading into this game is that Chiefs Kingdom should be terrified of facing a player of Maxx Crosby's caliber without Josh Simmons in the lineup. The reality is more nuanced than a star pass rusher facing a backup.

Crosby has lined up over the right side of the offensive line 134 times this season compared to just 31 on the left, meaning right tackle Jaylon Moore is the one likely to draw the primary assignment, not Kahlil Benson.

Moore has allowed zero pressures in back-to-back weeks, which is encouraging, though the Colts and Dolphins don't have anyone resembling Crosby. The five-time pro bowler has been a consistent force even without the sack numbers, logging 1.5 sacks over three weeks while leading the Raiders with 17 pressures.

Teammates Malcolm Koonce and Kwity Paye tally 20 combined pressures, but have actually outpaced him in sacks with 2.5 and 2, respectively. Benson will have his hands full regardless, but the matchup between Moore and Crosby will most directly affect Mahomes' ability to operate.

It will be worth watching whether Reid offers additional help to one side or the other, but these three edge rushers are the biggest threats to disrupting Kansas City's offensive rhythm.

Andy Reid vs. Defensive Coordinator Rob Leonard

The best thing head coach Andy Reid can do to help his outmatched tackle bookends is what he did in Week 1 against Denver. Run the football.

Against the Broncos, Reid called 31 rushes to 27 pass attempts, both stats excluding Mahomes’ scrambles and kneel-downs, and the result was a dominant performance that kept the defense off balance all night. Kenneth Walker carried 23 times for 173 yards in that game.

Whether Walker replicates those numbers is secondary. The more Kansas City can keep Crosby, Koonce, and Paye from teeing off on long passing downs, the better positioned the Chiefs are to control the entire game. A successful run game would also open up the play-action passing attack, which the Chiefs ran to perfection in Miami, going 14-for-14 for 201 yards on play-action attempts, according to ESPN.

It would also help Kansas City take care of the football, with Walker having lost just three fumbles in his career, which matters more in this game than most. The Raiders lead the league in turnovers forced with nine, meaning they'll look to create short fields and pressure the Chiefs to be disciplined with the ball.

Reid may hold the game's biggest mismatch, as one of the best play callers in the game's history. Rob Leonard is a first-time defensive coordinator stepping into the role after serving as the Raiders' defensive line coach from 2023 to 2025. That experience gap is one of Kansas City's biggest advantages on Sunday, and Reid would be wise to exploit it early, putting on another master class.

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