October 4, 2026 - 4:51 pm

The Las Vegas Raiders are unbeaten no more, courtesy of their longtime rivals.

The Raiders led the Kansas City Chiefs through three quarters of their Sunday matchup before succumbing 30-27 for their first loss under coach Klint Kubiak. Kansas City running back Kenneth Walker carried 22 times for 177 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 3:21 to play.

Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 31 of 52 passes for 365 yards, scores to tight ends Ian Thomas and Brock Bowers and a last-second interception. Las Vegas struggled to run again, rushing 26 times for 72 yards — including 15 carries for 58 yards for running back Ashton Jeanty.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed 15 of 30 passes for 225 yards and a pair of touchdowns to wideout Tyquan Thornton, who caught five passes for 111 yards.

The Raiders seized a 7-0 lead 6:50 into the opening quarter with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Thomas, uncovered down the sideline. The Chiefs would answer with a 2-yard score from Mahomes to Thornton on the ensuing possession, extended by a 41-yard reception to Xavier Worthy.

An exchange of punts preceded a second-quarter exchange of field goals — from Las Vegas kicker Matt Gay and Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker — for the Raiders and Chiefs, whose goal-to-go was complicated by linebacker Quay Walker’s second-down sack. Cousins completed a trio of passes on the final possession of the opening half to set up a Gay’s 47-yard field goal and with it a 13-10 halftime lead.

The Raiders opened the second half with a seven play, 49-yard drive, but didn’t score after accepting a penalty — negating a 41-yarder from Gay. The ensuing fourth-down pass was covered and Cousins was forced to throw incomplete, setting up an exchange of punts that preceded Thornton’s go-ahead score.

Walker sprinted 76 yards down the right sideline to cap the third quarter and two plays later, Mahomes hit Thornton open in the back corner of the end zone. The Raiders responded with a 44-yard field goal from Gay, set up in part by a third-and-long completion to Brock Bowers for 21 yards.

A three-and-out for Kansas City set up the go-ahead drive for Las Vegas. Cousins completed a back-shoulder fade for a sizable gain to wideout Cody White to pave the way for a field goal for Gay, this one (on fourth-and-1) from 48 yards. Mahomes countered with a third-down rainbow to Thornton (who was injured and carted off the field on the subsequent tackle by safety Treydan Stukes) covering 55 yards.

Walker scored from 3 yards out on the ensusing play and Las Vegas wide receiver Dareke Young fumbled the ensuing kickoff to the Chiefs, who recovered the football at the 22-yard line.

From which Walker would score again.

The Raiders answered with a scoring pass from Cousins to Bowers (six receptions, 86 yards) with 1:46 to play as he hung in the pocket, scrambled right and found his target open in the end zone.

Too little, too late for Las Vegas, though, which didn’t recover the onside kick but forced an ensuing three-and-out. Kansas City punted the Raiders to their own 1-yard line with 1:16 to play and their last-gasp effort, though admirable, ended with a pick as Cousins was hit as he threw and Xavier Nwankpa had the ball with one second left.

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on X.