Chiefs 2022 Opponent Overview: Las Vegas Raiders

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The Kansas City Chiefs are sitting alone atop the AFC West at 3-1, following their victory in Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders got off the schneid getting their first win of the season last week. A division victory over the Denver Broncos should give them a bit of a boost, coming off of three straight one-score losses to open the year. This week, the Chiefs and the Raiders will add another mark into their storied rivalry.

Both teams had varied levels of expectations going into 2022. For Kansas City, their offense has looked just fine without the likes of Tyreek Hill, sans a trip to Indianapolis. Their defense has a lot more physicality, toughness and attitude, to boot. Whereas with the Raiders, the amount of star power that Vegas does have may not be enough to escape their lack of depth. Where they are weakest at, in the trenches and in the secondary, does not bode well when facing the top teams in the NFL. Obviously, that would include this week’s game against Kansas City.

More on some of the key matchups and game planning will be covered right here throughout this week. Today, we will be giving our own view of the Las Vegas Raiders entering their matchup with the Chiefs. What can Kansas City expect from their offense and defense? Let’s kick it off.

Carr Swerving All Over The Place

It has been an up and down start for Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, to say the least. He was one of the better deep ball passers early last season. However, that same accuracy, ball placement and timing has been largely absent through four games. More importantly, Carr does not appear to be playing with the newfound aggressiveness that he displayed during parts of last season. So far this season, the Vegas passer has totaled just six touchdown passes to go along with four interceptions. What may be more concerning for the Raiders, is that his generally steady completion percentage has dipped around his career-low levels that we saw during the first few years of Carr’s career.

What may be more damning for the Raiders passing attack, is the lack of consistency from their top weapons. Darren Waller has been fairly nonexistent. With his inability to win down the field, Las Vegas is not able to finish most drives or extend them. Davante Adams is certainly receiving a great deal of targets. Sure, there may be a learning curve, as he adjusts to a new offense. Adams is just not dominating defensive backs one-on-one like we are used to seeing, nonetheless. For how much previous chemistry was built between he and Carr, they have just not been on the same page. Mack Hollins has quickly become a go-to target for Carr, as Hunter Renfrow has missed time with an injury. Will Hollins’ vertical stretch ability be sustainable enough to last all season?

Pounding The Rock

If you followed Josh McDaniels during his run with the Patriots, it is no surprise to see the Raiders wanting to pound the rock more often. Now as the head coach in Vegas, McDaniels has brought a bit more balance to the fold. While it is still early, the Raiders sit in the top half of the NFL in rushing yards (ranked 14th) and in yards per carry (ranked 10th). It is not too surprising that Josh Jacobs has garnered around 77 percent of the team’s carries. After the team declined his fifth-year option, Jacobs looks to be running with more of a purpose. He is making defenders miss, displaying superb reads behind a weak offensive line and is getting those tough yards after contact.

With this new offensive scheme, the Raiders focus on running more gap, power and counter runs. As opposed to the previous zone running scheme, Jacobs has benefitted by being able to reach his top speed earlier during the rep. In the last few years, he was forced to wait and be patient before traffic could clear. This new scheme has given the Raiders and Jacobs increased opportunities in bouncing the run to the outside and into the open field. No longer can opposing defenses simply look to contain him and wash the run to the inside play after play, to boot.

One-Man Band?

Maxx Crosby has continually been a steal for the Raiders defense. While the depth of the defense was already in question, it is surprising to see the lack of help that Crosby has got from his defensive teammates. Crosby leads the team in tackles for loss (eight) and sacks (four). The only other sack has come from defensive back Nate Hobbs. Elsewhere, the rest of the Las Vegas defense has less tackles for loss combined than Crosby. Hobbs and Denzel Perryman each have three TFLs. Finally, Chandler Jones has just one tackle for loss so far.

Jones appeared to be one of the best additions of the offseason. However, the former Cardinal has been bottled up for almost the entire four games. His lack of pressure off the edge has been downright stunning. With his difficulty in winning at the snap and against powerful blockers, the Raiders have been lifeless upfront. Certainly, the consistent dominance of Crosby is nice. Though, the Raiders are severely outmatched when it comes to limiting explosive plays and winning at the line of scrimmage.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.