Four Takeaways From the Chiefs' 48-9 Win Over the Raiders

Here are some major takeaways from the Chiefs' 13th game of the 2021 season.

In a game that seemed doomed from the start for the Las Vegas Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs flexed their muscles en route to a dominant 48-9 win over their AFC West rivals. It was a statement performance from a team that, whether it's believable or not, started the 2021 season 3-4. The Chiefs are now 9-4 and on a six-game winning streak, and the Raiders are 6-7 with just one win in their last six games. These two teams are headed in opposite directions, and Week 14 only emphasized that point even more.

Here are four takeaways from Sunday's game.

1. Mike Hughes redeemed himself in a big way

It hasn't always been the best of times for cornerback Mike Hughes, as he's struggled in coverage throughout the season. On Sunday, with L'Jarius Sneed missing the game, Hughes was thrust into the starting lineup and made the most of his opportunity. Not only did he recover a fumble and return it for a touchdown on the Raiders' first offensive play, but he also forced a fumble later in the first half. The Chiefs' depth and promise at the cornerback position have been tested in 2021 and on Sunday, Hughes enjoyed perhaps the best game of his young career. In order for the team to have success the rest of the way, his number may be called again. He showed against the Raiders that he can have good games. 

2. The Chiefs' defensive line is very legit

Chris Jones, Frank Clark, Melvin Ingram, Tershawn Wharton, Jarran Reed and Alex Okafor all played a legitimate role in rushing the passer against the Raiders. I very well may be missing one or even two others. Several seemingly small-scale changes such as adding Ingram into the fold, moving Jones back inside to his three-technique alignment or simply getting Clark healthy have combined to make massive differences along the Chiefs' defensive line. It's playing like one of the best units in the NFL right now, and that's a major boost for Steve Spagnuolo's unit. Not every offensive line will be the Raiders' and not every game will be a great one for so many Chiefs defenders, but the defense is riding high right now and the front four is a driving force in that.

3. The Chiefs offense of old flashed on Sunday

A look at the Chiefs' box score doesn't depict a dominant offensive performance. Patrick Mahomes threw for just 258 yards, Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for just 37 yards on 10 carries and Travis Kelce recorded 27 receiving yards. The difference in this game relative to others, though, was the big-play ability of Mahomes and company. The Chiefs had several against the Raiders, and it wasn't just one player making the difference. Kansas City's offense flowed better on a broader scale and while Mahomes took his typical "shot" throws, other chunk plays came within the structure of the offense. Andy Reid's offense isn't fixed, but this game can be viewed as a legitimate building block for continued progress.

4. Is there a bigger plan in place for Josh Gordon?

Gordon had just two catches for nine yards against the Raiders, but he got a season-high in targets and also hauled in his first touchdown as a Chief. It remains to be seen how big a part of the Chiefs' offense Gordon will be moving forward, but Sunday's game demonstrated a bit of progress. Perhaps the Chiefs are playing the long game with him. If that's the case, the NFL hasn't seen the best of him yet with his new team. Gordon's evolution is worth monitoring down the stretch.

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