Previewing the Kansas City Chiefs
After an offseason where every team in the AFC West was loading up to make a run as the best team in the division, three things still are the same after the first four games of the 2022 season.
That's death, taxes and the Kansas City Chiefs finding themselves where they usually are, first place in the division.
It's become apparent that those who thought the Chiefs were due for a regression this season might've missed their mark.
The trading of wide receiver Tyreek Hill was supposed to cause the Chiefs offense to go through a transition period.
Not much of a transition, evidently, as the Chiefs rank second in yards per game this year and fourth in points scored.
Even without Hill, the combination of head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is still one of the most potent in the NFL.
It helps to have one of the NFL's better offensive lines that's cleared the way for the Chiefs to have the 11th-best rushing attack in the league.
Travis Kelce continues to hold the status as the best tight end in the NFL, and the additions of receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling have done enough to offset the loss of Hill.
Defensively, the Chiefs only rank 20th in points allowed, although they've developed a pattern of starting slow before rounding into form.
The talent is there to do so at all three levels with players like defensive tackle Chris Jones, linebacker Nick Bolton and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed.
It's largely the same defense that held the Las Vegas Raiders to a combined 23 points in their two meetings last season.
Quite honestly, it hasn't seemed to matter who's suiting up for the Chiefs whenever they play the Raiders nowadays, because the result usually doesn't change.
That comes as the Raiders have only won one game against the Chiefs since Mahomes became the team's starting QB in 2018.
For the Raiders to have any chance at sustained success, they need to make this a real rivalry again.
They'll have their chance this week, with all eyes on them in primetime on Monday Night Football.
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