The Las Vegas Raiders opened their Week 4 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs with momentum, as Kirk Cousins threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ian Thomas four plays in. The offense could not sustain that success, however, and the Raiders went on to a 30-27 loss to the Chiefs, a team that has won nine of the past 10 AFC West titles.
For the third straight week, Las Vegas failed to establish a consistent run game, totaling just 72 yards against Kansas City. The Raiders rank eighth in the league in points per game (28.7), and Cousins has thrown a league-high 11 touchdowns. Their rushing attack, however, has been a persistent problem. Entering the season, the run game was meant to be the team's biggest strength, yet production has mirrored last year, when Las Vegas ranked last in nearly every rushing metric.
Multiple factors have contributed to the struggles, including playcalling and Ashton Jeanty, the 2025 first-round pick, playing through an ankle injury. Jeanty was a limited participant in practice this week. After a strong 137-yard rushing performance in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, the team's numbers have declined sharply, ranking 32nd in yards per attempt over the past three weeks.
"It starts with us. Starts with me," Jeanty said. "Got to break tackles and make bigger plays when they're available." The Raiders will look to find their footing Sunday afternoon against the New England Patriots at 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing