KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs face the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, with the Chiefs having won nine of the past 10 matchups against their AFC West rivals.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been playing at an MVP level, and the Chiefs are fully healthy as wide receiver Rashee Rice returns from a suspension and injury.
Kickoff for Sunday's game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is set for noon.
—
Chiefs player to watch
Rice comes back from his six-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy when he caused a high-speed crash on a Dallas highway in March 2024. He is also playing for the first time since tearing his ACL four games into last season, when Mahomes collided with him while trying to make a tackle following an interception.
Raiders player to watch
Defensive end Maxx Crosby had two sacks against the Titans and leads the NFL with 10 tackles for loss. Tracking down Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a whole different challenge, but it’s one that Crosby seems to savor, a feeling that is mutual based on what both players have said. It certainly is a delight for fans to watch the two go at it.
Key matchup
The Chiefs' wide receivers against the Las Vegas pass defense. Mahomes has been playing at an MVP-caliber level ever since getting Xavier Worthy back from a shoulder injury that he sustained in a Week 1 loss to the Chargers. Now, he has Rice joining a mix that also includes Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Key injuries
Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (knee) is doubtful and wide receivers Jakobi Meyers (knee and toe) and Alex Bachman (ankle) are questionable. Chiefs left tackle Josh Simmons has been ruled out for personal reasons.
Series notes
The Chiefs have won nine of the past 10 matchups and 14 of the past 16 going back to the 2017 season. The most recent Raiders win was at Arrowhead Stadium on Christmas Day in 2023, which turned out to be the last time Kansas City lost that season. It won its last two regular-season games, then four playoff games, including the Super Bowl against San Francisco.
Stats and stuff
Mahomes is 12-2 against the Raiders with 33 touchdown passes in those games.
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce needs two touchdowns to tie Priest Holmes (83) for most in franchise history. Kelce has a catch in an NFL-leading 180 straight games.
Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has four touchdown runs in his past four games against Las Vegas.
Brown had two touchdown catches for Kansas City last week against Detroit.
Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu has a sack in back-to-back games.
Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty has forced 34 missed tackles, according to Next Gen Stats, which is second in the league. That has resulted in 193 yards rushing, the third most.
The Raiders’ 37 tackles for loss are one behind leader Tampa Bay.
Las Vegas’ 10 passes defended by defensive linemen is easily the most. Indianapolis and New Orleans are next at six apiece.
The Raiders’ 240 yards rushing against Chicago on Sept. 28 is the highest total for an NFL team this season.
Crosby needs one sack to join Greg Townsend as the only Raiders with at least five sacks in each of his first seven seasons since the statistic has been kept in 1982.
Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers has multiple receptions in 30 consecutive games.
Bowers has caught at least two passes in his first 21 games, which ties the longest streak for a tight end to open a career. Detroit’s Sam LaPorta set the record in 2023-24.
Las Vegas safety Jeremy Chinn needs one sack to become the eighth defensive back since 1982 with six consecutive seasons with at least one.
Kicker Daniel Carlson’s 214 made field goals are the second most since he entered the league in 2018. He is one behind Justin Tucker.
Fantasy tip
As tempting as it might be for Rice owners to put him into the starting lineup after waiting for six weeks, it might be worth waiting one more. The Chiefs are likely to ease him back into the mix, perhaps giving him 30 or so snaps against Las Vegas. With their passing attack already humming, there is no need to rush him back into full-time duty.
—