It’s been a long time since the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders squared off with identical undefeated records. That’s exactly what’s on tap Sunday, though, as the 3-0 Raiders host the 3-0 Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in a matchup that somehow feels both unexpected and must-see.
And there’s no shortage of star power. Mahomes is back from his season-ending ACL injury and looking every bit like himself, while Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby is preparing to make his afternoon as uncomfortable as possible.
Mahomes and Crosby will be seeing plenty of each other Sunday. Expect the pass rusher to bring his usual relentless motor, plenty of heat off the edge, and, naturally, a little trash talk to go with it.
Maxx Crosby and the Chiefs Offensive Line Struggles
The Chiefs Still Have One Major Problem to Fix Before Crosby
PMahomes and Crosby are both coming off unusually eventful offseasons—and somehow, their paths nearly crossed in a very different way. For a few days in March, Crosby looked destined to leave Las Vegas for Baltimore and become a Raven. The deal ultimately fell apart, sending Crosby back to the AFC West, where he gets another crack at making Mahomes’ life miserable.
Mahomes, meanwhile, spent the offseason grinding through a long rehab after undergoing knee surgery following his December injury. Now back under center, the Chiefs quarterback looks like he hasn’t missed a beat.
That said, Kansas City’s offense hit a few bumps against Miami. The biggest culprit? The offensive line struggles. Mahomes was under pressure far too often and even appeared to be dealing with back pain after taking a massive hit from Dolphins edge rusher Chop Robinson.
The Chiefs are still sitting pretty at 3-0, but the undefeated record doesn’t mean the warning lights aren’t flashing. Kansas City has managed to win despite some glaring flaws, but those issues could eventually come back to bite the Chiefs if they aren’t cleaned up.
Andy Reid knows there’s plenty of work left to do. “We’ve got plenty of things to work on, but it’s great to be 3-0,” Reid said after Kansas City’s 24-10 win over Miami.
For now, the Chiefs are stacking wins while figuring things out. But against a Raiders defense led by Crosby, there may not be much room for error.
The Kansas City Chiefs Better Clean This Up
After two games that showcased a seemingly reinvented Chiefs team against AFC contenders, Kansas City came back down to earth against Miami and looked a lot more like the maddeningly inconsistent team we saw for stretches of the 2025 season.
Early on, though, it looked like the Chiefs were ready to light up the scoreboard. Kansas City marched down the field on its first two possessions, punched the ball inside the 10-yard line and finished both drives with touchdowns.
Then the offense hit the brakes.
The Chiefs managed just three points over the next several drives before finally finding the end zone again late. The offense was efficient when it needed to be, but the production simply wasn’t there in bulk. The defense had its own issue to clean up, particularly on third down. Kansas City allowed Miami to convert 8-of-16 third downs, a 50% clip that repeatedly kept Dolphins drives alive and put extra stress on the defense.
That’s a notable departure from what has otherwise been a solid third-down defense this season. Kansas City entered the game allowing conversions on just 37.5% of third downs, the 11th-best mark in the NFL. With the schedule only getting tougher, the Chiefs can’t afford to let that number start trending in the wrong direction.
Yet, the Chiefs did what good teams are supposed to do. They went on the road, survived an ugly stretch, beat the Dolphins 24-10 and boarded the plane home at three for nothing.
Perfect? Hardly. But undefeated? Absolutely. Now the margin for error gets a whole lot smaller.
By the time the clock hits zero Sunday, one of these teams will no longer be perfect. And whoever walks away with the win will add another chapter to one of the AFC West’s most familiar—and increasingly heated—rivalries.
Main Image: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
