Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City 2022 Week 5: Chiefs to Worry About
Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City 2022 Week 5: Chiefs to Worry About
Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Tyreek Hill is no longer in Kansas City as the speed threat, but Marquez Valdes-Scantling is equipped to fill the void when called upon. He’s been solid through four weeks and ranks third in targets and receiving yards among Chiefs receivers. But at home and against a division rival, there’s the chance that Las Vegas’ defense could be the spark for a breakout game.
To the Raiders’ credit, they’ve been solid against the pass so far this season, ranking 22nd with an average of 223.8 passing yards per game allowed. There is clearly room for improvement, but Las Vegas’ well-chronicled issues in the secondary in the past illustrate how much of a leap this group has taken in 2022. But the Chiefs pose their most formidable threat this season through the air.
Big momentum plays that are sparked by yards after the catch is what has historically plagued the Raiders’ defense, and it’s something they cannot afford on Monday night. While Kelce is clearly Mahomes’ go-to target, it doesn’t mean they can overlook the remaining receivers such as Valdes-Scantling that are lower on the depth chart. A key third-down conversion can be the difference between keeping this contest tight or playing from behind early, which means keeping tabs on the likes of Valdes-Scantling through the air.