The AFC West rivalry takes an unexpected turn Sunday when the unbeaten Las Vegas Raiders welcome the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs to Allegiant Stadium. Both clubs enter at 3-0, setting up a rare early-season meeting in which neither side has lost and adding extra weight to a matchup already defined by years of hostility.
Patrick Mahomes, back in top form after the ACL injury that ended his previous season in December, will again be at the center of Kansas City’s offense. Across the line, Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby will be trying to turn the afternoon into a long one for the Chiefs quarterback. Their competitive history has included plenty of words, but Mahomes said the edge comes from mutual respect as much as rivalry.
“I’m here, and that’s all I’ll say right now,” Mahomes said when asked about prior exchanges with Crosby. He compared their dynamic to competitors who want the offseason bragging rights that come with beating a familiar opponent. “That is what football is supposed to be: the best competitors facing each other. Raiders against Chiefs brings that out.”
Both players experienced dramatic offseasons before returning to the division race. Crosby appeared headed for Baltimore for several days in March before the Ravens backed away from the potential move, leaving him in Las Vegas. Mahomes, meanwhile, continued the lengthy rehabilitation from knee surgery before receiving clearance to return.
Mahomes said Crosby reached out as soon as he was cleared. “He texted me and said, ‘We’re both back,’” Mahomes recalled. “My response was, ‘Let’s show everybody who we are.’” He said the relationship changes once the game begins, with each player understanding that the other will be trying to win every snap.
“There is definitely a rivalry when we get on the field,” Mahomes said. “We are going after each other, and we both understand that. But great players and great competitors make the league better. Winning against them makes it mean even more.”
An early test for two unbeaten teams
Kansas City’s 3-0 start has followed Mahomes’ successful return, while Las Vegas has matched the Chiefs win for win behind a defense led by Crosby. Mahomes said the Raiders’ record reflects the level of football they have put on tape through three weeks.
“They are playing really well,” Mahomes said. “You can see it when you watch them. That 3-0 start is legitimate. They have been good all season, and this is another challenge for us that we have to meet.”
Sunday will end one team’s perfect start, while the winner gains an early statement victory in the AFC West. Mahomes expects the matchup with Crosby to demand his best performance.
“When I take the field, I know I have to be at my best because he will bring his best,” Mahomes said. “That is when you get the best games.”
