What more could we possibly ask for?
On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs did nearly everything right against their old foes: the Las Vegas Raiders. In nearly every aspect of a game, it was a complete and total dismantling of a lesser opponent. We could get used to seeing this offense the rest of the season, but we can’t expect many more blowouts like this 31-0 laugher.
The only challenge is coming up with any losers from this game. Enjoy the victory Monday!
Here are the Chiefs who stood out.
Winners
Wide receiver Rashee Rice: To nobody’s surprise, the third-year wideout hit the ground running in his return from suspension. His talent, fit and chemistry with quarterback Patrick Mahomes still look like a cheat code for the offense. Rice turned 10 targets into seven catches for 42 yards and two touchdowns — one on a flip pass and another on a back-shoulder fade. It was the kind of effortless production that reminded everyone why he’s such a critical piece of Kansas City’s attack.
Running back Brashard Smith: Will we look back on Week 7 as the breakout game for Smith? Seeing him dance and weave through traffic on a screen just felt right. It was an element that’s been missing since Jerick McKinnon moved on — and one that has been a hallmark of Andy Reid’s offenses since the days of Jamaal Charles. Nobody’s putting that level of expectation on Smith — at least not yet — but 80 total yards on 15 touches is an outstanding contribution from a seventh-round rookie. He’s proving to be not only a reliable pass catcher (five-for-five on Sunday) but also a player who could break free on any given play. As he continues to grow, he could become a true difference-maker in this offense.
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy: Finally seeing Rice, Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smitch-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton all on the field together was a treat — and Worthy did his part to impress. He showed off his speed on a 13-yard run — and his toughness with a contested jump-ball grab over the middle. Worthy looks like a complete receiver — one who is a perfect complement to Rice. These two (along with Mahomes) could be putting on a show for a long time to come.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones: On the Raiders’ first drive of the second half, Jones stuffed Ashton Jeanty for no gain, then sacked Geno Smith to force a punt. His day was finished after just 22 snaps — an efficient, dominant afternoon that preserved some wear and tear on the All-Pro defender. Not a bad day’s work.
Kicker Harrison Butker: A clean game at last! The ninth-year pro connected on all five of his kicks, marking his first flawless outing of the season. Hopefully, the early-season hiccups are behind him — because there will soon be closer games in which every point will matter.
Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo: When your team records a shutout, quickly piles up 31 points and has backups playing before the fourth quarter, the coaching staff has clearly done its job. Beyond the score, the dominance was overwhelming: 30 first downs to the Raiders’ three; 10-of-17 on third and fourth down to went none-for-8 for Las Vegas and no red-zone trips for the Raiders, while Kansas City scored touchdowns on four of its five. The Chiefs also won the turnover battle (+1), time of possession (by a wide margin) and total plays — 77 to the Raiders’ 30 — while outgaining them 434 to 95 yards. The screen game returned, the trick plays were sharp and penalties were minimal. Both lines controlled the trenches, and the team’s depth showed despite short-term injuries to Brashard Smith, Jawaan Taylor and Kareem Hunt. Most importantly, Kansas City didn’t play down to its opponent — and didn’t ease up until the game was completely decided.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: Just in case anyone forgot who the MVP front-runner is, Mahomes delivered a first half for the highlight reels. He led touchdown drives of 80 or more yards on each of the first three possessions and looked like he was enjoying every second. His comfort level with his protection and receivers might be the best it’s ever been — and it showed in the creativity: no-look passes, improvisation and even the “this never works” play that somehow worked perfectly. His only slowdown came from the scoreboard, as he rested for the entire fourth quarter after putting the game out of reach.
Losers
Quarterback Gardner Minshew: Dude didn’t complete a single pass — and lost yards on all three of his rushing attempts. Why did Reid bench Mahomes for this guy? (Yes… I’m kidding).
Please Note: The labels “winners” and “losers” are not judgments of talent or character. They simply reflect single-game performance. No disrespect is intended.
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