Holes in Chiefs' Armor Give the Raiders a Chance

"The [Baltimore] Ravens just need their front to stay healthy. The Chiefs, meanwhile, may or may not have a title-caliber line at all. That was clear as day in Super Bowl LIX, when the Philadelphia Eagles tore them to pieces, rendering Patrick Mahomes a nonfactor," Benjamin said.

"Now, All-Pro interior man Joe Thuney is gone, and two new faces occupy the present and/or future of left tackle, with rookie Josh Simmons and former San Francisco 49ers prospect Jaylon Moore tasked with protecting Mahomes' blind side. That's a fair amount of pressure for unproven blockers."

Shortly after joining the team, Raiders Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly noted the challenge he and the Raiders will face in the competitive AFC West. The division produced three playoff teams last season, with the Raiders being the only team in the division to miss the postseason.

"Yeah, the Chiefs and what Jim [Harbaugh] is doing with the Chargers, and obviously Sean Payton is a Super Bowl champ himself over in Denver. And I heard that from some people, do you really want to go in that division? But I think if you're a competitor, you do. And if you have a chance to win that division, then that means you beat the best, and the best that's playing in football right now is the Chiefs. They are the reigning Super Bowl champs, and they're back in the game again," Kelly said.

"So, if that's your goal and you want to get there, you're going to have to beat them. So, that's what our focus is on: to win this division. That means you're in the playoffs and you get a chance to compete for the whole thing. So, there's really good coaches in this division, but just like there is across the NFL.

"You don't get to be a coach in the National Football League if you don't know what you're doing. So, all of the competition every single week in this league is hard, but to be in this division, I think you're going against the best, and that's what you want to do if you're a competitor."

The Raiders must make the most out of any and every competitive advantage they may have this season, if they hope to gain ground in the AFC West.

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