RAIDERS
TRAGEDY

Last week

Chiefs 30, Raiders 27

Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nev. · Sun, Oct. 4 · CBS
By quarter: KC 7–3–0–20 · LV 7–6–0–14 (NFL.com; ESPN)
Chiefs 4–0 (sole possession, AFC West). Raiders 3–1.
Filed under canon. Close enough to smell. Not close enough to keep. Delayed tragedy, delivered on schedule.

Las Vegas led 13–10 at half and 19–17 with 4:53 left. Kirk Cousins threw for 365 yards and two touchdowns. The Brayders outgained Kansas City 437 to 399 and held the ball for 35:42. Then the fourth quarter arrived the way it always does when Patrick Mahomes is in this building.

Kenneth Walker III ripped 76 yards to the 8 as the third expired. Mahomes hit Tyquan Thornton for an 8-yard score. Matt Gay answered with field goals of 44 and 48. Lead restored, 19–17. Then Mahomes found Thornton for 55 yards on third-and-5 — Thornton was carted off with a left ankle injury on the play (AP) — and Walker punched in from the 2. Dareke Young fumbled the ensuing kickoff. Jeffrey Bassa forced it; Jack Cochrane recovered. Walker scored again from 22. A 19–17 lead became a 30–19 deficit in 1:51 of game clock (LVRJ).

Cousins hit Brock Bowers from 20 and Cody White for two. Xavier Nwankpa intercepted Cousins with 10 seconds left. Mahomes knelt. The suite went quiet. Allegiant did not.

Chiefs honor roll: Kenneth Walker III, the man who made Allegiant look like a practice field

22 carries, 177 yards, two touchdowns, a 76-yard sprint at 21.21 mph that Taron Johnson had to catch from behind (NFL Next Gen Stats; AP). Walker on the chase: "I thought I was out of there until I started hearing breathing" (AP). Honorable mention: Tyquan Thornton, 5 catches, 111 yards, two touchdowns, and the 55-yard dagger before the cart. Mahomes, 15-of-30 for 225 and two scores, remains undefeated in starts at Allegiant against the Raiders, plus the Super Bowl (AP; ESPN). Andy Reid now has the most coaching wins in the building, seven (AP).

Raiders exhibit of the week: Klint Kubiak — "We're going to win the game."

Halftime, to CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. Kubiak: "We're winning. We're going to win the game" (AP; PFT). Asked afterward why he said it: "That's how I felt. So I just said what I felt" (AP via theScore; Pro Football Network). He doubled down: "That's why you play the game, that's why you suit up, that's what we expect every week" (AP via theScore). Then the third-quarter gift. Gay made a 41-yarder. Kansas City was flagged for illegal formation. Kubiak took the points off the board for fourth-and-2 at the 18. Incomplete to Ashton Jeanty. Score stayed 13–10. His verdict: "We were going to be aggressive going into the game. I don't regret it. I regret not getting it" (raiders.com; PFN). Cousins, on that play: "That's one of the plays I'll be driving home thinking about" (raiders.com).

Proud of the fight. Not surprised by the fight. Wished they'd won (raiders.com). The nepo line writes itself. Gary won a Super Bowl as head coach in Denver. The son got a headset, a parking spot, and a CBS microphone to declare victory at the half. Aggression is a word. Getting it is a result. The family business taught him the word. Allegiant taught him the rest.

Opposing fans at Allegiant (home-game rule)

No public source published a headcount or percentage of Chiefs fans in the building Sunday. This publication will not invent one. What was reported: the AP described the Chiefs as "backed by plenty of their red-clad fans." Jeff Fedotin (Yahoo Sports / Forbes) wrote that Allegiant was "very loud — ear-splitting at times" and a "definite home-field advantage for the Raiders," while Chiefs fans "still represented themselves well," with a tomahawk chop after Kansas City took a 17–13 lead and another roar on Thornton's 55-yard catch. Mahomes afterward: "Chiefs Kingdom travels well" (Yahoo/Forbes). Former Chiefs WR and radio analyst Danan Hughes called the building "Arrowhead West" in the coaches' elevator (Yahoo/Forbes). LVSportsBiz described "60,000 or so fans split between Raiders black and Chiefs red." The Kansas City Star's game story called it a "50-50 mix of red and black." Pre-game ticket-market estimates (Vivid Seats 64% Raiders; StubHub zip-code sales) were forecasts, not attendance. Did it matter? No public report ties a single play to the visiting crowd. The play-by-play does show the Raiders' own offense flagged for a delay of game in the first quarter and two false starts in the fourth (Connor Heyward at the KC 29; Caleb Rogers at the LV 9 on the final drive), in their own building, on their own snap count. The Chiefs' offense drew zero false starts (ESPN play-by-play). Bottom line from public reporting: substantial red presence, no headcount, and the only team that looked rattled by noise was the home team.

Scorers — personal service (every Raider who put points on the board)

• Matt Gay (13 — FGs of 32, 48, 44, 48; 1 XP): Four made field goals. Highest scorer again. Gay, you are the franchise's most reliable product and its most damning exhibit. When the Brayders lead with a kicker's handwriting, the museum already knows the ending. A 48-yarder to go up 19–17 is not a statement. It's a permission slip for Mahomes.
• Ian Thomas (6 — 27-yd TD): First touchdown catch since Week 4 of 2020. Longest of a nine-year career (raiders.com). Thomas, you waited six years for 27 yards of relevance, scored first, and then watched the building forget your name by the fourth quarter. Opening statement. Closing credits. The tight end who opened the door so Kansas City could walk through it.
• Brock Bowers (6 — 20-yd TD; 6 catches, 86 yds; played through illness per AP): The best player on the roster, again asked to mop. Late touchdown, late hope, late nothing. Bowers, you are a Stradivarius handed to a garage band that just learned power chords. You carried the late drive. The offense around you carried nothing. The dinner table in New Orleans did not cover kickoff returns.
• Cody White (2 — 2-pt conversion catch; signed to the active roster Sept. 29, per raiders.com): One conversion. Two points. Just enough to make the final margin look respectable. White, you are the franchise's emergency exit light: always on, never the way out. Two points that made 30–27 instead of 30–25. The difference between delayed tragedy and farce. Congratulations on the decimal.

Tom Brady, minority owner, majority aura: Last week Patrick Mahomes tied Tom Brady's win total through 150 starts (Heavy; Yahoo Sports). Sunday the Tommy Boys hosted him, and he added another in Brady's building. Mahomes, still perfect in starts here. Brady, still perfect at contributing nothing between the white lines. Seven rings, one minority stake, zero blocks on Kenneth Walker. The aura does not cover kickoffs. It does not tackle. It sits. Brayders branding cannot outrun a 76-yard run. The legend in the box seats lost to the legend on the field. Again.

Autopsy

For three quarters the Brayders looked like a team that belonged on the same field. Then Kubiak wiped three points off the board for a fourth-down incomplete. Then Walker ran 76 yards into the fourth. Then Gay made them believe at 19–17. Then Thornton went 55. Then Young put the ball on the ground. Then Walker scored again. Cousins threw for 365 and still ended the night with Nwankpa's hands around the last hope. Crosby talked capability. Kubiak talked adversity. This publication files the tape under delayed tragedy: close enough to hurt, not close enough to keep. Kansas City does not need donations. It takes what it wants and leaves the rent notice on the door. The hatchet dinner is still catalogued. The shovel did its work Sunday. Vol. 49 stays on the wall. This loss goes in the vault, labeled canon, filed next to every other night Allegiant rented itself out.

Next week

New England Patriots, AFC Champions in February, Player of the Week in October

Sun, Oct. 11 · 11:00 a.m. MT (10:00 a.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. ET) · Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass. · CBS / Paramount+
(raiders.com schedule; patriots.com schedule)
Third road game in four weeks for the Brayders (AP). The building does not care about dinner chemistry.

Why this opponent is far superior: Eight months ago the Patriots were playing in the Super Bowl (AP). In January the Raiders fired a coach after going 3–14 (AP, Jan. 5). That is the gap, and it has not closed. New England is 2–2 and just won 29–26 at Buffalo, the first visiting win in the new Highmark Stadium (patriots.com; ESPN). Drake Maye threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 54 more, and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday (CBS Boston). Vrabel's response: "I want us to win those awards every single week, whether that's Drake or anyone on offense, or performances we could have on defense or on special teams" (CBS Boston). That is a head coach asking for more after a road upset. The Raiders' head coach is still explaining a halftime interview.

New England plays with a standard. Vrabel opened the week by telling reporters which injured players would not be practicing, with no theater. Efton Chism III caught the winner with one hand. Craig Woodson intercepted Josh Allen to close it. Even with corners on the report, this is a roster that wins in hostile buildings and comes home to its own.

Las Vegas arrives 3–1 after giving up 189 rushing yards to Kansas City (ESPN box) and managing 72 of its own at 2.8 a carry (AP; LVRJ). The receiver room has Jack Bech on injured reserve (placed Sept. 29, raiders.com), Jalen Nailor in the concussion protocol (Kubiak, via AtoZ Sports; LVRJ), and Dont'e Thornton Jr. practicing for the first time since training camp (raiders.com). After New England come Buffalo and the Rams (AP). The schedule is not a ladder. It is a staircase down.

Tommy Boys at Foxborough: Tom Brady won six Super Bowls for New England. Sunday his minority stake visits the building where those banners hang. The banners stay on the wall. The stake sits in the visitors' column. Brayders branding does not travel well in a town that remembers the original. Brady built a dynasty there. He bought a piece of this.

Kubiak, the family name, the halftime microphone: Gary Kubiak won a Super Bowl as a head coach. The son got the job, the headset and a CBS sideline interview, then told the country the Raiders would win. They lost. Wednesday he opened his presser with the injury list. The nepo résumé reads cleaner than the scoreboard.

Injury report (official, as of Fri Oct 9)

Friday practice participation and game statuses (Out/Doubtful/Questionable) were not yet posted when checked ~10:30 a.m. MT. Wed/Thu below are official (raiders.com; patriots.com). "—" = not listed / not yet posted. Statuses reported as facts only.

Raiders

• Jalen Nailor, WR · Concussion · Wed: DNP · Thu: DNP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Ashton Jeanty, RB · Ankle (Wed) / Ankle-Foot (Thu) · Wed: FP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Spencer Burford, G · Knee · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Cody White, WR · Ankle · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Trey Zuhn III, G · Knee · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Brock Bowers, TE · Knee · Wed: LP · Thu: FP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Folorunso Fatukasi, DT · Shoulder · Wed: LP · Thu: FP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Jackson Powers-Johnson, G/C · Groin · Wed: LP · Thu: FP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Segun Olubi, LB · Wrist · Wed: FP · Thu: FP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Dareke Young, WR · Shoulder · Wed: — · Thu: FP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Dont'e Thornton Jr., WR · Hamstring (IR, designated to return) · Wed: FP · Thu: FP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending

Raiders roster/IR notes: WR Jack Bech placed on Reserve/Injured Sept. 29 (raiders.com). WR Dont'e Thornton Jr. returned to practice Oct. 7, opening a 21-day window to be activated or returned to IR (raiders.com). WR Cody White signed to the active roster Sept. 29 (raiders.com). No other Raiders transactions posted this week as of this draft.

Kubiak on Thornton Jr.: "It would be good to get him back out there and get him playing and reacclimating. He's a great teammate. He's a great person. He's worked really hard. He stayed patient, had a great attitude, and was the kind of guy you really pull for" (AP). Kubiak said Wednesday that Nailor is in the concussion protocol and would not practice, and that Powers-Johnson and Thornton Jr. would practice (AtoZ Sports, from the Raiders' presser video). Powers-Johnson missed the Chiefs game with the groin injury and practiced fully Thursday (LVRJ; official report). Kubiak's Friday media session is scheduled after practice and before the team leaves for New England (LVRJ); not yet held when this was drafted.

Patriots

• Carlton Davis III, CB · Neck · Wed: DNP · Thu: DNP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Christian Gonzalez, CB · Shoulder · Wed: DNP · Thu: DNP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Mack Hollins, WR · Calf · Wed: DNP · Thu: DNP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Karon Prunty, CB · Hamstring · Wed: DNP · Thu: DNP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Reggie Gilliam, FB · Ankle/Knee · Wed: LP · Thu: DNP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Christian Barmore, DT · Shoulder · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Channing Canada, CB · Hamstring · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Christian Elliss, LB · Chest · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Dre'Mont Jones, LB · Shoulder · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Morgan Moses, OT · Foot · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Rhamondre Stevenson, RB · Knee · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Charles Woods, CB · Shoulder · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Craig Woodson, S · Shoulder · Wed: LP · Thu: LP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Drake Maye, QB · Right shoulder · Wed: FP · Thu: FP · Fri: pending · Game status: pending
• Brenden Schooler, S · Back (NFI, return-to-practice; not eligible to play this week per patriots.com) · Wed: FP · Thu: FP · Fri: — · Game status: —

Patriots roster/IR notes: WR A.J. Brown on injured reserve (high ankle sprain, Week 1); not eligible until Week 6 vs. the Jets (patriots.com; Boston Globe). S Mike Brown signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad Oct. 8; LB Jose Ramirez released Oct. 6 and re-signed to the practice squad Oct. 8; rookie CB Al'Zillion Hamilton signed to the practice squad and OL Da'Metrius Weatherspoon released Oct. 6 (patriots.com transactions). OL Greg Van Roten (Sept. 29) and OL Mike Onwenu (Sept. 22) remain on IR (patriots.com). Vrabel said he did not anticipate the players eligible to come off reserve lists (including Schooler, P Bryce Baringer, LB Khalil Jacobs, OT Marcus Bryant, OLB Harold Landry) playing Sunday (Christopher Price, Boston Globe).

Vrabel, Wednesday, on the reserve-list group: "I just think that with the uncertainty here, that probably won't happen. I wouldn't anticipate that happening" (Boston Globe). On Stevenson: "There's a chance he can play. There's just no chance that he'll practice today" (Patriots transcript, 10/7); Stevenson was then listed as limited Wednesday (official report). On A.J. Brown: "He won't be out there today, I can promise you that because he's not eligible" (CBS Boston; Boston Globe). On Hollins, after Sunday's game: "I don't know if he'll be able to practice here for a couple days" (CBS Boston). Hollins, Wednesday: "Everything we do is day by day, but I feel good" (Boston Globe). Vrabel's Friday press conference was scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET (11:10 a.m. MT) per patriots.com; not yet held when this was drafted.

Three Keys (from New England's side)

• Bracket Bowers and Mayer. The Raiders' receiver depth is thin this week by the official report; make Cousins find a wideout.
• Let Maye run. He ran for 54 in Buffalo; Las Vegas just allowed 189 rushing yards to Kansas City.
• Win the kicking game again. Las Vegas handed Kansas City a touchdown on a kickoff fumble last Sunday.

Fate-style prediction: Foxborough in October. A Player of the Week at quarterback. A head coach who wants that award every week. The Brayders fly east with a short receiver room, a kicker for a leading scorer, and a halftime quote they are still explaining. Tom Brady's old building. Tom Brady's new team. Only one of those wears banners. New England wins. The Raiders fall to 3–2. Kubiak can speak on adversity again. This publication files another loss in the vault, next to the last one, and waits for Buffalo.