The Las Vegas Raiders could be facing a significant problem along the offensive line heading into Sunday’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Starting right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson missed his second straight practice after suffering a groin injury during last Sunday’s win over the New Orleans Saints.
“#Raiders RG Jackson Powers-Johnson (groin) misses his second straight practice,” ESPN’s Ryan McFadden posted on X.
The injury forced Powers-Johnson to leave the game with just a few plays remaining, and his continued absence from practice is now putting his status for Sunday’s divisional matchup in serious doubt.
Raiders’ Offensive Starter Jackson Powers-Johnson Misses Second Straight Practice
Head coach Klint Kubiak said on Wednesday that Jackson Powers-Johnson would miss practice because of the groin injury but added that the team is remaining hopeful the starting right guard could practice at least at some point this week.
That possibility is becoming increasingly important as Sunday approaches.
The Raiders are preparing to welcome an undefeated Chiefs team, with Kansas City consistently finding ways to create pressure and disrupt opposing offenses this season.
According to ESPN metrics, the Chiefs rank 12th in pass rush win rate (53%) and ninth in run stop win rate (31%), so having Powers-Johnson missing the game would be a major hit.
Powers-Johnson has become an important part of the Raiders’ offense, and if he can’t return to practice and ultimately remains sidelined, the Raiders will have to turn to a young player in Caleb Rogers.
The Raiders selected Rogers in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, giving the organization a young offensive lineman it could develop into an important part of its future. Now, he could be asked to step into the starting lineup for one of the biggest games on the Raiders’ schedule.
Messages Between Chiefs, Raiders Before Matchup
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid acknowledged the significance of the rivalry while discussing Sunday’s matchup, calling it a “heck of a rivalry” and emphasizing that the rivalry becomes even better when both teams are playing good football.
Raiders star pass rusher Maxx Crosby certainly shares that intensity.
He made his feelings clear about facing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on The Rush With Maxx, describing the matchup as a “war” while also making it clear that he has tremendous respect for Mahomes.
“It’s the f***ing Kansas City Chiefs,” Crosby said to his teammates when discussing the matchup against the Saints game. “We got a great team coming into town. We already know what it is.”
As for Jackson Powers-Johnson, there’s still a chance he’ll suit up. If not, the Raiders will have to prepare for the possibility that Caleb Rogers will be in between Tyler Linderbaum and DJ Glaze.
The game will take place on Sunday, October 4th at 1:25 PM Pacific Time.
Raiders Receive Concerning Injury News Regarding Offensive Starter