Alas, some adversity for coach Klint Kubiak’s Las Vegas Raiders after three straight wins.

Courtesy of their red-and-white rivals.

The Raiders aren’t unbeaten anymore and neither is the first-year skipper following a 30-27 loss Sunday to the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium. Their 19-17 fourth-quarter lead became a 30-19 deficit in 1:51 when running back Kenneth Walker capped a pair of possessions with touchdown runs.

Sandwiched in between his scores was a fumbled kickoff from wideout Dareke Young.

Walker rushed for 177 yards on 22 carries, a 76-yard scamper down the right sideline preceding another score for Kansas City. His go-ahead touchdown came from 2 yards out, and his scoring carry after the fumble covered 22 yards down the right sideline.

Las Vegas quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 31 of 52 passes for 365 yards and touchdowns to tight ends Ian Thomas and Brock Bowers. He threw a last-minute interception, facing pressure on the final possession that started for the Raiders without timeouts with 1:16 to play at their own 1-yard line.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 225 yards (15 of 30) with two scoring passes to wideout Tyquan Thornton, who had five receptions for 111 yards.

Bowers had a team-high 86 receiving yards.

“You find out way more about yourself through adversity,” said Kubiak, who told CBS during a halftime interview the Raiders were going to beat the Chiefs. “So we have some adversity right here and now we get a chance to go to the next opponent.”

Here’s why Las Vegas (3-1) lost to Kansas City (4-0):

Kansas City’s balance: Perhaps the NFL’s most prolific passer, Mahomes didn’t need to throw for 400 yards, not with the league’s leading rusher behind him. Walker (537 rushing yards, 6.2 yards per carry) balances the Chiefs on offense with his punishing running, speed and size — relieving the two-time MVP, who hasn’t much been backed by explosive runners.

An offseason free-agent acquisition — after four years with the Seattle Seahawks, for whom Kubiak called plays last season — Walker ran through several tackles and kept Kansas City’s offense on track while Mahomes was pestered by Raiders pressure. Down top wide receiver Rashee Rice — who departed for good on the opening possession with a hamstring injury — before losing Thornton in the final quarter (to an ankle injury with which he was carted off the field), Mahomes and the Chiefs turned to Walker to keep the Raiders guessing defensively.

“They have a lot of dynamic skill players,” Las Vegas defensive tackle Thomas Booker said. “… It forces you as a defense to play a lot of things honest, right? And it just tests your rules and your discipline.”

The Raiders conversely averaged 2.8 yards per carry, finishing with 72 rushing yards.

Turnovers and takeaways: Las Vegas led the NFL through the first three weeks in turnover margin with nine takeaways for a plus-five advantage that dwindled Sunday vs. Kansas City. Young’s untimely fumble spelled trouble, giving the Chiefs but 22 yards to turn a one-score lead into a two-score lead.

The pick by Cousins wasn’t as consequential considering the time and situation, but a completion on the sideline, unlikely as it was, could’ve set the Raiders up with a game-tying kick.

Las Vegas didn’t turn over Kansas City, which averaged 6.9 yards per play to its 5.6. Mahomes was under a wave of duress, but protected the football along with Walker.

“(Takeaways and turnovers are) a big factor in winning or losing,” Kubiak said. “We know that and obviously we gave them too many opportunities tonight.”

Explosive plays: The Raiders defended well down to down, limiting Mahomes to 50 percent passing and the Chiefs to 5 of 13 on third-down tries. In part as a result, they had the football for 35:42 to compared to 24:18 for Kansas City, which committed eight penalties for 59 yards to their six penalties for 30 yards.

Where the Chiefs would have a decided advantage: pushing the football down the field.

Mahomes completed a 41-yard pass to wide receiver Xavier Worthy on a third-and-10 during Kansas City’s first-quarter touchdown drive. He also connected with Thornton again for 41 yards in the second quarter, paving the way for a field goal though Las Vegas held up during goal-to-go.

Then came Walker’s 76-yard run on the final play of the third quarter. Mahomes completed a 55-yarder to Thornton again on a third-and-5 to set up Walker’s 2-yard score that he followed with his 22-yard touchdown run.

Said defensive end Maxx Crosby, who wasn’t on the field for Walker’s longest career run: “We know what we’re capable of and we feel like we’re figuring out, more and more, how we could be. But that’s a tough loss. … We have to bounce back. We have to figure out how to get better. How to improve from it. It’s the same mindset no matter if it’s a win or loss. How can we get better?”

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on X.