The Kansas City Chiefs improved to 4-0 after a dominant performance from Kenneth Walker III against the Las Vegas Raiders. This division rivalry did not disappoint, as both teams had strong offensive showings and entertaining plays throughout.
The Raiders proved their 3-0 start wasn’t a fluke. Their defense looked formidable, and their offense moved the ball at will for large portions of the game. Patrick Mahomes struggled, throwing 15/30 completions for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Kansas City found a way to win off a strong performance from Walker, but left the game with some concerns.
Walker rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns from 22 carries. He had two of the biggest plays of the game, including a 76-yard run that led to a Tyquan Thornton touchdown to take the lead. He also ran for a 22-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to take an 11-point lead.
Kansas City struggled to throw the ball due to the Raiders’ fierce pass rush, but Walker took control of the game in the second half and gave the Chiefs enough juice to win the game. He has been everything that the Chiefs needed him to be and more. 177 yards is the most rushing yards he has had in a Chiefs uniform, and his second game with 170+ rushing yards and two total touchdowns. It is only Week Four. The Chiefs have now scored 30 or more points in three out of four games this season, showcasing that their offense is once again a dominating force.
Las Vegas pressured Mahomes throughout the game, which led to multiple drives ending in a punt. Mahomes was sacked twice, and the Las Vegas defense recorded 8 hits on him throughout the game. Star center Creed Humphrey botched a snap on 3rd-and-8 on a potentially game-deciding play late in the fourth quarter, leading to the Raiders getting the ball back with a chance to win the game.
Another point of concern is LG Kingsley Suamataia being replaced by Mike Caliendo due to a coaching decision. Whether or not this is a permanent benching is something to monitor through the week. The eventual return of Josh Simmons could be the help this line needs, although Kahlil Benson has had an admirable stretch of games to start the season.
The Chiefs ended the game with two injuries to wide receivers. Rashee Rice left in the first quarter with a non-contact hamstring injury, and Tyquan Thornton left in the fourth quarter with a severely injured ankle. Thornton was having a career day, catching five passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. If the injury is as bad as it looked, he is likely out for the season. Rice was walking on the sideline throughout the game, so his injury does not look as dangerous as initially anticipated.
Xavier Worthy had his best game of the season so far, catching four passes for 70 yards. This still isn’t what the Chiefs have been hoping he would contribute, but it is better than his stats from the first three weeks. With Rice and Thornton injured, Worthy will likely see much more passes come his way. Jalen Royals and Cyrus Allen are the other options at receiver, so the Chiefs are likely to add a new receiver sometime soon. Signing Tyreek Hill could fix a lot of the issues, but they might want to add someone as soon as possible.
Kansas City now holds sole possession of the AFC West. Walker is looking like one of the best additions to a team all year, and he is putting up more impressive numbers as the weeks go by. He has a total of 360 rushing yards through four weeks and is on pace for over 2,000 yards this season. With every other team in the division losing in Week Four, it looks like the division may be the Chiefs’ to lose. They now look towards the bye week as they rest before preparing for the Chargers in Week Six.
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