In Week 13, after their Thanksgiving dinner, the Kansas City Chiefs will play a special “Black Friday” matchup against an AFC West rival: the Las Vegas Raiders. While the Raiders currently sit near the bottom of the league at 2-9, Kansas City linebacker Drue Tranquill isn’t underestimating the potential of Las Vegas’ offense.

“They’ve got guys with good skills,” he said this week, “(plus) great tight ends, an offensive line that’s coming together and solidifying – and then a quarterback situation that’s been really fluid.” We’ll see who’s on Friday afternoon, but it’s a group of guys that just gets better the more snaps they take together.”

One player who stands out in the Raiders’ offense is rookie tight end Brock Bowers. The 13th overall pick in last spring’s NFL Draft was a revelation in his debut season, leading the Raiders in targets, receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns. His 74 receptions surpass only Dallas Cowboys All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.

“He’s an absolute tight end,” Tranquill said of Bowers. “He can run the entire route tree. He’s explosive – creates big yards after the catch – (and has) great route running skills. (He is) quick in and out of breaks and can also block. He’s the complete package for them.”

Containing the Bowers and Raiders offenses will require a concerted effort from the Chiefs’ defense – a unit that was among the NFL’s best early in the season but has struggled in the last two games. Kansas City allowed 30 and 27 points in consecutive weeks. Tranquill believes he and his teammates – especially the younger ones – just have to get something together.

“I think it’s just the implementation of our demands,” he explained. “There are a lot of nuances in terms of our pressure – and a lot can happen in our coverages after the snap. So it’s just a matter of being on the same wavelength. We have some younger guys that have rotated in — guys that haven’t necessarily played a lot of snaps together.”

Tranquill is also excited to have defensive end Charles Omenihu back on the field. He remains optimistic and focused on the team’s long-term goals.

“We are trying to constantly improve,” he stated. “We want to play our best football in January and February. We know that every week is another step in that direction – and we hope to get back on track this week.”