The Las Vegas Raiders needed to hit the reset button this offseason, and they did so by replacing Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco with Pete Carroll and John Spytek. While the results certainly haven't been there thus far for the new regime, they have a chance to make a major statement in Week 7.
Las Vegas is traveling to Kansas City to take on the red-hot Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium with a chance to get to 3-4 on the season. This would be a major turning point for the team because if they are 2-5 at the bye week, some significant changes could be in play.
Pierce certainly wasn't the answer as the head coach of the Raiders. He definitely resonated with the players, but his meteoric rise as a coach came back to bite him, as he seemed a bit in over his head at times, and Las Vegas really struggled once he took the full-time job.
Pete Carroll must replicate Antonio Pierce's relative success vs. Chiefs
But Pierce seemingly knew what to do against the Chiefs. Of course, the team's iconic Christmas Day win in 2023 practically earned him the job, as the Raiders made life difficult for Patrick Mahomes and handed them a loss for the final time during that season, before they went on to win the Super Bowl.
Even last year, amid the team's struggles, Las Vegas lost two games against Kansas City by a combined nine points. If fans remember, the Raiders were also in field goal range with a chance to win in Week 13, but a botched snap gave the Chiefs the ball back and cinched the game.
Plenty of credit should go to defensive coordinator Patrick Graham as well. In the aforementioned three games, they forced Mahomes into three turnovers, two of which they returned for scores, and they sacked the former MVP 10 total times while limiting him to just four touchdowns.
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Some would say that Pierce's familiarity with Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, whom he played under with the New York Giants, was the key advantage, but it wasn't the offense that won or kept the Raiders in these games.
Raiders fans are hoping that Graham's defense, and specifically, Rob Leonard's defensive line, are the key ingredients to making this a game and potentially pulling off the upset, as those are two of the consistent pieces in the building.
Regardless of where the credit belongs for Las Vegas somehow competing with or beating the Chiefs in the last season and a half, the Raiders need to find that formula and tap into it this Sunday. If they can't, it may be a harbinger for another lost season.