[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbwa53mtds520q2 player_id=none image=https://chiefswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
No rivalry has more history than that of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Raiders, wherever they happen to play in a given year. From Oakland to Los Angeles, then back to Oakland and now in Las Vegas, the bad blood between the teams is still palpable, even if keeping track of where the team in black plays feels like a full-time job.
Making his seventh career start against the Raiders this Sunday, Patrick Mahomes took time to point out the special challenge of taking on the Raiders in enemy territory. He described the hostility of the matchup that serves to hone the teams’ intensity in the build-up to the games against each other. He expects Kansas City will be focused on the smallest details that might give them an edge.
“When you play the Raiders in their place, it’s a different atmosphere,” Mahomes explained. “I’m excited, I know Chiefs fans will be there supporting us and they always travel well, but there’s a different attitude and different mentality to these games against the Raiders. Obviously, with them tied for first place in the division we understand it’s a huge week for us and we have to treat each and every day extremely important.
“Today at practice, we have to go detail to detail and make sure that we’re ready to go so that way by the end of the week, we can go out there and play free, play fast and try to find a way to win the game.”
The implications of this game are beyond just the individual win, loss, or tie outcome. Not only are the Chiefs playing for a potential share of the lead in the AFC West, but they’re also fighting to get back in rhythm before their schedule ramps up ahead of the final push to the playoffs.
Mahomes knows exactly how much he stands to gain from a signature performance in the newly built Allegiant Stadium this weekend, and he is sure to be motivated as ever to get a game over on Kansas City’s most despised nemesis.
[listicle id=109915]