Las Vegas Raiders X-Factors against the Chiefs in 2022 Week 5
Las Vegas Raiders X-Factors against the Chiefs in 2022 Week 5
Will Las Vegas play up to their competition?
For better and for worse, the Raiders have a knack for playing up to or below their competition. They either compete at the highest level when the opponent is noteworthy, or they can underwhelm against an inferior opponent that they should clearly overmatch. Look no further than the past two seasons against the Chiefs.
In the past four games between these two, the Chiefs have a record of 3-1 against Las Vegas, but the 2020 season series was much more competitive than last year’s. In 2020, the Raiders split the series with their lone loss coming by four points. In 2021, Las Vegas was thoroughly outmatched, including a 48-9 beatdown that was highlighted by the Raiders questionably dancing on the Chiefs’ logo before kickoff.
Simply put, Las Vegas either shows up to push the Chiefs to the limit or they easily shrink against the competition. One can only assume that it hinges on their mindset heading into kickoff. Do they want to prove that they have the firepower to go toe-to-toe with the best in the AFC West? It will take execution at the highest level, but it will also mean coming in with the right mindset from the start.