After the first game of the 2026 NFL season, it seemed like the Las Vegas Raiders found the Robin to Maxx Crosby's Batman. Kwity Paye had a very good showing against the Miami Dolphins, but fans have not heard much, if anything, from him since then.
Fortunately, Malcolm Koonce has re-emerged in the last two games and looks like his 2023 self again, so Raider Nation hasn't really noticed that Paye has struggled to make much of an impact. These things fly under the radar when a team is 3-0, as fans don't point the finger after yet another win.
But Paye has been missing in action for the last two games, and at a price tag of $48 million over the next three years, that simply cannot happen. Luckily, the Kansas City Chiefs have gifted him a Week 4 matchup against struggling UDFA left tackle Kahlil Benson. Paye should get back on track in this one.
Raiders' Kwity Paye has fallen off since incredible first showing
Paye lit up the stat sheet in the season-opening win against the Miami Dolphins, notching 2.0 sacks, four quarterback hits, five stops and eight pressures. But one key thing that a lot of people noticed was that none of Paye's sacks or pressures were quick; just one came under 2.5 seconds.
His sacks were effort-based and a result of good coverage. Now, this doesn't mean that they aren't valid or don't count the same; Paye still did his job, and a good one, at that. But that level of production was never going to be sustainable against superior competition.
And that has shown, as in the last two games, Paye has not recorded a sack or a quarterback hit, and he has just one pressure and one stop in that span. His pass-rush win rate is a putrid 4.9%. He went from an unstoppable force to an object not in motion. His snap share did not drop dramatically, either.
Koonce, by contrast, has turned it on over the last two games, recording 2.5 sacks, two more quarterback hits, six stops and eight total pressures after mustering nothing but three pressures in the opener. This is the benefit of a deeper edge rusher rotation, but things can't be so hot and cold.
To be fair, Paye was dealing with an illness in Week 3, but that says nothing about his similar performance in Week 2. Getting back on track this Sunday will be paramount for Paye and his confidence, and it will affect the defense as a whole in a positive way if he can get it done.
The better he plays, the more effective he makes Koonce and Maxx Crosby as a result, too. And again, the Chiefs aren't exactly giving him a tough battle with Kahlil Benson.
Chiefs' Kahlil Benson should be easy pickings for Raiders' Kwity Paye
Benson is a tremendous story, to his credit. After winning a National Championship at Indiana with one Fernando Mendoza in his final collegiate season, he went undrafted and unsigned. He inked a rookie minicamp deal with the Chiefs, and by hook or by crook, is now their starting left tackle.
That is something for him to be proud of, and it's a remarkable turn of events. But he was a weak link at right tackle for the Hoosiers last year, and he's a weak link at left tackle this year for Kansas City. Him having a triumphant path to the NFL doesn't make him any better a player at this juncture.
The skinny is that Benson has given up nine pressures and five quarterback hits in three games, and after giving him more help in the first two, Benson really struggled on his own last week against the Dolphins. The Chiefs either have to allocate more resources to help him, or let him sink or swim.
Neither of those is a good strategy against a good Las Vegas front.
Josh Uche, who mustered just one pressure in Miami's loss to the Raiders, recorded four against Benson and the Chiefs last week, including three in the fourth quarter that were a bit embarrassing for the rookie left tackle.
First, Uche easily won on a rip move. Then, he won on a speed-to-power, pushing Benson straight on his back. Then, he beat him with a simple inside move. For the tally, that is Benson losing due to technique, strength and footwork in a span of one quarter.
Running the ball off Benson hasn't been fruitful either, as the Chiefs are averaging just 3.7 yards per carry and have no touchdowns inside or outside of him. They've managed just four first downs. Everywhere else, they've averaged 5.4 yards per carry with three scores and 22 first downs.
Whether it comes as a run defender or as a pass rusher, Paye should be able to make a big impact on this game after two weeks of radio silence. If he can't, it'll be quite discouraging once again. If he does, then welcome back to the party, Kwity.
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