After a surprising 3-0 start to the 2026 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders will get a real test in Week 4 with the also 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs coming to town. The winner will leave Allegiant Stadium on Sunday alone atop the AFC West.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will surely dial up the heat on Kirk Cousins, in what promises to be a key chess match between the two. A focus of Spagnuolo's game plan to make life tougher for Cousins and the Raiders' offense will also surely be on one player:
Brock Bowers.
Now, planning to keep Bowers in-check and actually getting it done are two different things. The New Orleans Saints presumably had intentions to do so in Week 3, but Klint Kubiak was able to scheme clean looks and Cousins peppered him with the football.
Bowers missed both matchups against the Chiefs last season, so neither side has much to go off of. In 2024, he had 15 catches for 198 yards with a touchdown against them in two games, highlighted by a 10-catch, 140-yard effort in Week 13. But Ashton Jeanty getting involved could be the key.
Week 4 looks like opportunity to re-involve Ashton Jeanty as a pass catcher
With so much attention on Bowers, other Raiders pass catchers are lined up to get favorable situations on Sunday. It's easy to put the spotlight on wide receivers Jalen Nailer and Tre Tucker in that regard, but there's another player who should be a key part of Cousins' pass distribution.
Since Week 1 against the feeble Miami Dolphins, the Raiders' ground game hasn't found a lot or traction. Jeanty is averaging just 2.6 yards per carry over the last two games, and in Week 3 (perhaps driven by Bowers making his season debut) his passing game role also dwindled compared to the first two games.
At a glance, the Chiefs have been tough on opposing running backs across the board this season. It's also fair to say they've faced one upper tier player at the position, with De'Von Achane suffering a torn ACL very early in Week 3.
Jonathan Taylor had 132 yards from scrimmage witth two rushing scores against them, though. The Chiefs are also among the stingiest teams when it comes to passing game production allowed to running backs, allowing a total of 11 catches for 77 yards through three games.
Taylor had four of those catches for 40 yards in Week 2, while Ollie Gordon, filling in for Achane in Week 3, had three grabs for 14 yards. It's fair to say neither guy is quite on Jeanty's level as a receiver, so he should have an opportunity to get even more.
The Chiefs' top two linebackers, Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill, have been solid in pass coverage so far this season. But they also haven't been greatly tested by opposing running backs in that area yet, and Taylor had two catches for 29 yards with Tranquill in coverage (according to Pro Football Focus).
There are signs, most notably when he briefly left the game against the Saints to get his ankles taped, Jeanty is still dealing with some ramifications of the ankle injury that threatened his Week 1 status. So, getting him some "lower impact" touches might be an order on Sunday, and he can still be very impactful.
Kubiak has quickly proven himself to be a savvy offensive designer with his elevation to being a head coach. He and his offensive staff may have seen how they can get Jeanty back involved in the passing game against the Chiefs, which would also make it easier to get Bowers the ball.
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