In Week 7, the Kansas City Chiefs will welcome a familiar foe to Arrowhead: the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s another AFC West showdown, and the defending champs are eyeing their third straight win over Vegas. On paper, the Chiefs are heavy favorites, but head coach Pete Carroll doesn’t sound like a man who plans on rolling over.

In the final presser ahead of week 7, Pete Carroll made it clear that his team won’t be taking the field with an underdog mentality. “It doesn’t matter who we play or where we play them,” the Las Vegas head coach remarked.

For the Chiefs, this is only their second divisional matchup of the season. The first one, against the Los Angeles Chargers back in Week 1, didn’t exactly go as planned. It was a loss that served as a wake-up call. Last season, Kansas City went 5-1 in the division, dominating the AFC West. That’s the version of the Chiefs Andy Reid wants back, and honestly, it looks like they’re getting there.

After starting 0-2, the Chiefs have quietly pieced together some real momentum, winning three of their last four. The offense is firing on all cylinders again, and last week’s dominant win over the Detroit Lions looked like a statement. So, can Pete Carroll’s new-look Raiders actually make this interesting? Maybe, but they’ll need a lot to go right.

The Raiders enter Week 7 at 2-4 under Carroll, who’s still feeling out his new gig in Vegas. Quarterback Geno Smith has had flashes, but he’s also struggled to find consistency. That’s music to Patrick Mahomes’ ears as the Chiefs look to build steam before an easier stretch of games ahead. Still, the Raiders always seem to find a way to make things weird. Remember last season?

The Chiefs were huge favorites in both matchups, yet both games were way closer than anyone expected. Kansas City escaped with wins, but there were moments when the Raiders looked capable of pulling the upset.

And right now, Vegas is feeling a little bit of life again.

They’re coming off a gritty 20-10 win over the Tennessee Titans, where their defense looked scary. The pass rush was relentless. Cam Ward barely had room to breathe, getting sacked six times. If they bring that same energy into Arrowhead, Mahomes might have to do some extra magic to keep drives alive.

But luckily for him, he has got his receiving corps back together.

Chiefs’ receiving corps reunion

The biggest headline of the week? Wide receiver Rashee Rice is officially back. The Chiefs’ top receiver returned to practice after serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. And reports say that he looked sharp. Expect him to see plenty of snaps against Vegas, which spells bad news for the Raiders’ secondary.

Rice rejoins a receiver group that’s held things together surprisingly well without him.

Xavier Worthy’s speed has been electric, JuJu Smith-Schuster has been steady, and Hollywood Brown has quietly taken charge as the leader of the pack with 30 catches, 302 yards, and three touchdowns. Tyquan Thornton isn’t far behind, matching Brown’s touchdown total.

Mahomes has been in full MVP form through it all, but he’s quick to credit the chemistry in the locker room. “That receiving room, they love each other and they want each other to do good,” Mahomes said. “So when you have that mindset as a whole room, you can have a lot of success.”

Now, with Rice back in the fold and the offense getting healthier by the week, this could be the most complete version of the Chiefs we’ve seen all season. If Vegas wants to spoil the party, they’ll have to bring more than just Pete Carroll’s confidence. Their pass rush would be key in determining how the game will play out.