Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images
The Las Vegas Raiders were handed their biggest test yet under Klint Kubiak on Sunday against their AFC West rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs.
Although the Raiders suffered their first defeat of the season, their performance at Allegiant Stadium has provided fans with a lot of optimism for the remainder of the season. For many across the league, the game on Sunday was the litmus test for whether the Raiders were the real deal.
Ahead of the game in Vegas, the Raiders were unbeaten through their opening three games of the season. However, their defeat against the Chiefs has only strengthened their reputation as one of the most promising teams in the league.
The Raiders’ players earned a lot of respect and it is apparent the fans in Vegas have also sent a message across to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Travis Kelce praises Las Vegas Raiders fans in Chiefs victory
It has been a decade since the Raiders last put together a playoff run. Naturally, the fans at Allegiant Stadium may have lost some of their spark over recent years but the team Kubiak has put together has seemingly got fans fired up for the 2026 season.
“You got to love a good, hostile atmosphere. Light a fire and go at it!” Kelce was heard saying on NFL’s Mic’d Up footage from Week Four.
Clearly, the Raiders fans brought an atmosphere which has not necessarily been seen in Vegas for a while now following their recent frustrations. These fans have not seen a winning season since 2021 when the Raiders went 10-7 and still missed the postseason spots.
To have the fans create such a hostile environment for the Chiefs on Sunday goes to show just how big of a transformation is going on in Vegas under the guidance of Kubiak. The former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator knows exactly what a good atmosphere sounds like and Sunday’s must have been up there for him.
The important thing now is that the Raiders fans do not lose this energy on the back of a narrow defeat against the Chiefs.
Read more:
‘Happy with that’ – Skip Bayless shares his Cowboys prediction ahead of Buccaneers game
‘Craziest gaslighting’ – NFL fans not buying Bo Nix’s explanation for why he doesn’t run as much
‘I’m not sure…’ Drake Maye makes ‘sceptical’ claim about the United States’ moon landing