LAS VEGAS — Kareem Hunt had modest expectations for himself when he rejoined the Kansas City Chiefs last month after a six-year break.

“My goal was to get back in football shape and just go out there and give it everything I got, and any opportunity I get, make the most of it,” Hunt said. “I do believe that I’ve done that.”

Hunt has actually done more than that. He’s brought the Chiefs’ running game to life.

The Chiefs are averaging 122 rushing yards per game, their best since 2015, better than any season since Patrick Mahomes became their starting quarterback. The improved running game is one of the biggest reasons the Chiefs are 7-0 and the NFL’s last remaining unbeaten team, particularly in a season when Mahomes has thrown more interceptions (nine) than touchdown passes (eight) and the Chiefs have gone through a rash of injuries at wide receiver.

Statistically, Hunt and the running game weren’t great in Sunday’s 27-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Hunt rushed for 59 yards on 21 carries.

But Hunt, who scored the Chiefs’ first touchdown on a one-yard run, was effective enough.

“There wasn’t a lot of room in there, so that’s OK,” coach Andy Reid said of Hunt’s statistical day. “He pounds it in there and normally he’s going forward, so that’s a good thing.”

Hunt led the NFL in rushing as a rookie for the Chiefs in 2017 and was having another big season the following year when he was released. But the Chiefs didn’t average as many rushing yards in those seasons as they are this year (118.9 in 2017 and 115.9 in 2018).

It’s also happening after the Chiefs expected to get more big plays from their passing game, which hasn’t been what the team hoped after several key receivers went down with injuries. But the spike in the run game has made up for the lack of big plays. That’s in large part because of the arrival of Hunt, who was signed when the Chiefs lost Isiah Pacheco to a broken leg. Hunt has 84 carries in four games, or 21 per game.

“I can’t imagine what he feels like on a Monday,” offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said of Hunt’s heavy workload. “It cannot feel very good, but it’s a sacrifice he does for this team. He’s loving it. We’re loving handing him the ball. The offensive line is blocking their tail off with the tight ends. It’s a really good thing for the offense right now.

“I was here with him in ’17 and he reminds me a lot of that same player. We love where he’s at. He’s physical, and usually when we ask him to get three, he gets us four. And when we ask him to get four, he gets five.”

The Chiefs are running well with a group of backs that went largely unwanted by other teams when they arrived. Hunt was a free agent all summer. Samaje Perine was released after training camp by the Denver Broncos. Carson Steele is an undrafted rookie.

Even Pacheco came to the Chiefs as a seventh-round draft pick in 2022.

“[Hunt] is just a different style,” Reid said. “They’re all actually different, but he has got that pound-it-in-at-you style and it’s helped us that way. So you lose a great player like we did with Pacheco and these other guys step up and Kareem comes off the street and helps us out. That’s great. And we still have [Clyde Edwards-Helaire] sitting back there, who was a great player too.”

It’s mostly been Hunt’s position. Steele had two carries and Perine two pass receptions against the Raiders, but otherwise Hunt has been carrying the workload.

“He’s done a great job of getting what’s there and then making plays when his number’s called,” Mahomes said. “It seems like every single time he’s falling forward and getting five yards, six yards, whatever it is. That makes my job easier at the quarterback position and for the offense in general when you’re in those advantageous situations with down and distance.

“As we start getting more and more guys back and healthier, he might not have to have 30 carries, [but] whenever he gets the opportunity, he’s going to go out there and make it count.”

LAS VEGAS, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders faced a different opponent this week as they hosted the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning world champions.

While the opponent was different, unfortunately for Raider Nation, the outcome was the same.

Crucial unforced errors, penalties, execution errors by multiple players, and head-scratching coaching decisions once again doomed the Raiders (2-6) in a 27-20 loss.

Once again, with OC Luke Getsy scripting the early plays, the Raiders came out on fire. 

But once the script ended, Silver and Black proved they were not improvisers, and the creative and effective attack stalled.

Our latest episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast offers a complete recap of today’s game at Allegiant Stadium, against the Kansas City Chiefs.

You can watch the entire podcast below:

Early on, the creativity of play calling and utilization of so many diverse and talented players had the well-respected Chiefs defense guessing and even had the Raiders with the lead.

Once the Raiders shot out of the cannon, the offense essentially stalled with stars like WR Jakobi Meyers and rookie sensational TE Brock Bowers disappearing like a famed magic show just a few blocks away on the strip.

Both men magically reappeared at the end of the game when they couldn’t make a difference.

Yet again, the tired mantra of the season of turnovers, execution, penalties, and, to be nice, questionable offensive play calling left the guestimated 30% of Allegiant Stadium that were cheering for the home team, wondering what they had just seen.

This Raiders team is desperate for an offensive identity. They faced first and goal at the three and were unable to punch it in this week, and they faced first and goal last week and came away with no points.

They simply do not make the necessary offensive adjustments you see his coworker Patrick Graham make on the defensive side or any other successful coordinator on any side of the ball.

Raider Nation’s frustration is mounting.  They see what this offense can do, the early drives this and other weeks, so they know that this team can get it done.

But they don’t.

The Raiders head to Cincinnati next week to face the Bengals, and one thing is certain.  With bye week coming after that something has to be done.

What?  That remains to be seen, but even with all of the injuries, this team has far too much talent to be 2-6. 

Even tonight versus the world champions was a winnable game, but they didn’t.

The defense, decimated by major injuries, is doing more than its share to win. The Raiders’ unimpressive record has only seen one game in which Patrick Graham’s side of the ball failed: the Carolina Panthers game. It is now time for the offense to show up and do its job.

Al Davis taught Bill Parcells, who ultimately taught Bill Belichick the saying that the Patriots legendary General is famous for:  “Do your job.”

Right now, Raider Nation should be collectively asking about the offense doing their job.

Why? Because they aren’t.

There is plenty of blame to pass around; not one player or coach is exempt, but with nine games remaining, you can’t just let it go.

Something has to be done. The Raiders’ offense must follow Al Davis’s commandment to “Do your job.”

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For the second time this season, the Kansas City Chiefs are squaring off against a bitter rival from the AFC West. They’ll face the Las Vegas Raiders for the first time, though, since getting upset on Christmas Day late last year.

Revenge could be in the cards for Kansas City, who boasts a perfect 6-0 record entering Sunday’s play. The NFL’s last undefeated team is nursing a multitude of injuries, but the other sideline features a Las Vegas team that simply hasn’t lived up to expectations this season. Andy Reid’s team is heavily favored in this one, and several players could make positive individual strides along the way with big-time performances.

Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing stats and milestones within reach for the Chiefs in Week 8.

Information courtesy of the Chiefs’ official Week 8 game notes.

Even with players like Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco missing extended periods of time this year, tight end Travis Kelce has yet to find the end zone. It’s not that the 35-year-old isn’t making an impact, but his statistical production has wavered throughout the season. It doesn’t help that quarterback Patrick Mahomes has just six passing touchdowns in six games. If the two can finally connect for a score on Sunday, they’ll pass Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham for sole possession of third place on the all-time list of quarterback-tight end touchdowns. It’s something that’s been rehashed multiple times, but perhaps this is the week.

Despite making another quality impact last weekend against the San Francisco 49ers, defensive tackle Chris Jones had just one tackle and didn’t log a sack. The Kansas City defense appreciates his contributions, but could Week 8 see him get to the quarterback for the first time this month? Should he get a half-sack or full sack of Gardner Minshew on Sunday, Jones will break a tie with Justin Houston for the fourth-most in franchise history. Jones is already a Chiefs Hall of Famer – it’s only a matter of time before he passes Houston (and Neil Smith, who he’s eight and a half sacks behind for third place).

Last week was a quiet one for Harrison Butker, who made all four of his extra point attempts but didn’t have to try a single field goal at Levi’s Stadium. In each of the two games prior, he had a chance to connect from 50-plus yards out but missed both of them. With a long-distance make in Week 8, Butker would put himself in a tie with Greg Zuerlein of the New York Jets for the sixth-most since Butker entered the league back in 2017. Butker is 17-for-19 in his career against the Raiders, so he might stand a decent chance this weekend.

This one is a streak that will be continued on Sunday, although it’s still several weeks away from potentially meaning anything serious in the record books. With an assumed start against the Raiders in Week 8, center Creed Humphrey will extend his current stretch of consecutive games started to begin a Chiefs career to 58. Cornerback Brandon Carr is in second place at 64, so there’s a chance that Humphrey passes him up later this season. Week 15’s game against the Cleveland Browns may carry a bit more importance in that regard for the former second-round pick.

Read More: Chiefs Activate WR Montrell Washington from Practice Squad for Week 8 vs. Raiders