Raiders off to surprising 3-0 start as unbeaten Chiefs set to visit
· Yahoo Sports
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — First-year coach Klint Kubiak certainly doesn't want to hear any talk about playoffs just three weeks into the season.
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However, the numbers favor the Las Vegas Raiders ' chances of making the postseason.
Which is one of this season's most stunning developments.
Las Vegas won three games all of last season and now is 3-0 and will welcome the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday.
The timing couldn't be much better to face an intense AFC West rival.
“Our job as coaches is to get them dialed in,” Kubiak said Monday. "The thing about our team is we have a mature team that’s very goal-oriented and has some strong leadership, and they’re not satisfied with what’s been done for three games.
"I know it’s a long season, and we know that in order for us to be successful, we just have to just get better every day and have a great Wednesday, Thursday, Friday practice to prepare for the game.”
The Chiefs are part of a challenging stretch of the schedule that is followed by games against New England, Buffalo and the Los Angeles Rams.
From a historical perspective, this is what the Raiders' 3-0 record means:
— Since the playoff field expanded to seven teams per conference in 2020, 23 of the 28 clubs to open 3-0 made the postseason.
— From 1990-2019 when it was six playoff teams per conference, 109 of 148 advanced.
Also, the previous time the Raiders began a season 3-0 was in 2021. That's the most recent time they made the playoffs.
Kubiak said he was impressed with how his team picked up its third victory, erasing an 11-point second-half deficit to win 35-27 at New Orleans on Sunday.
“You don’t really get to find out about somebody until the chips are down and their back’s against the wall,” Kubiak said. "Our backs were against the wall yesterday, down two scores. So we found out a lot about guys’ resilience and toughness because everything’s fine if you’re up two scores at the end of the game. But what do you do when you’re down two scores?”
What’s working
Quarterback Kirk Cousins certainly isn't playing like a 38-year-old whose job is to keep the seat warm until No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza is ready to go. Cousins became the first QB to open a season with three wins and three touchdown passes in each of those games since Russell Wilson in 2020.
What needs help
Special teams didn't make winning easier. Dylan Laube fumbled a kickoff return in the third quarter that quickly led to a two-possession lead for the Saints. After the Raiders cut the deficit to five points, Matt Gay sent a kickoff out of bounds to give the Saints possession at their 40-yard line. But the Raiders wound up forcing a punt.
Stock up
Tight end Brock Bowers showed the Raiders what they were missing when he sat out the first two games because of knee surgery. Bowers, an All-Pro as a rookie in 2024, caught 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. He often was used out wide with Michael Mayer playing the more traditional inside tight end spot, and Bowers' ability to move around is a concerning matchup for opponents.
Stock down
Take away a 36-yard touchdown by Mike Washington Jr., and the Raiders' ground game was nearly nonexistent for the second game in a row. Washington and starter Ashton Jeanty combined to rush for 74 yards on the other 23 carries. That followed a game against the Los Angeles Chargers in which the two backs combined for 55 yards on 24 attempts.
Injuries
WR Jack Bech broke his arm at New Orleans, but Kubiak said the club hasn't “made a roster decision yet.” RG Jackson Powers-Johnson (groin) is still being evaluated, and S Treydan Stukes (concussion) could return this week. QB Aidan O'Connell, whose dad died last week, is expected to be back.
Key number
0 — The number of points the Raiders have allowed in the fourth quarter this season, becoming the first team since Indianapolis and Minnesota in 2022 to accomplish that over the first three games.
Next steps
The Raiders host the Chiefs on Sunday.
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