4 Reasons the Oakland Raiders can go undefeated in September
By Steve Rivera
Week 2: vs. Chiefs
The absolute media darling of the 2018 season was Patrick Mahomes. He was electric whenever he touched the football, looked absolutely unfazed over 16 NFL regular season games and got the Chiefs to the AFC Championship Game. He was lights out, without question.
The bigger question heading into a new season is whether he can maintain that torrid pace. Teams will have a lot of tape on Mahomes, so the smart money is he comes back to earth, at least a little bit.
Week 2 may be the game that serves as an early season measuring stick for the Oakland Raiders. A win at home against the Chiefs gives the Silver and Black some instant credibility inside the division. It would also serve notice that the NFC West could be in play for 2019. Not necessarily for Oakland, but for another team, like the Chargers.
It’s also worth noting that the Chiefs open with three of their first four games on the road. They begin at the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team who will be better with Nick Foles under center, then play at Oakland. Week 2 could be a prime opportunity to catch Kansas City flat after a tough game on the East Coast.
The Chiefs are the one team who could make 4-0 an impossibility. That said, the Raiders of 2019 won’t be the Raiders of 2018. This game will look and feel different. It could also have a different outcome, like a win.