The Kansas City Chiefs avoided defeat to a sub-.500 team for a second straight week by taking advantage of a costly miscue to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders 19-17 on Friday, Nov. 29 at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Raiders had just made their way into field goal range, when with 15 seconds remaining and the Arrowhead crowd its usual deafening self, center Andre James snapped the ball before the rest of the Raiders were set, catching quarterback Aidan O’Connell off guard. Linebacker Nick Bolton lunged onto the ball to claim it for the Chiefs in what was the only turnover of the game.
The Raiders attempted to drive even closer for the game-winning field goal, as kicker Daniel Carlson had missed all three field goal attempts over 50 yards in the game, only netting a 27-yard attempt in the first quarter. The Chiefs’ Matthew Wright, signed earlier this week when Spencer Shrader was sidelined with a hamstring injury during practice Monday, made four field goals to lead the Chiefs, only missing a 59-yard attempt at the end of the first half. He also converted the extra-point attempt after the Chiefs’ only touchdown, which was one for the record books.
Patrick Mahomes completed his 238th career touchdown pass, a six-yard pass to Justin Watson, to surpass Len Dawson for the most touchdown passes in Chiefs franchise history.Mahomes finished the day 26 for 46 with 306 yards. DeAndre Hopkins had 90 yards on four catches, while Travis Kelce had seven catches for 68 yards. Isiah Pacheco led the rushing effort in his first game back from injury, with seven carries for 44 yards. The Raiders defense limited the Chiefs to the lone touchdown, as they sacked Mahomes five times for 40 yards and caused him to fumble, which he was able to recover.
O’Connell went 23 for 35 with two touchdown passes and 340 total yards. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers had one of the touchdown catches to lead Las Vegas, pulling down ten passes for 140 yards. Despite outgaining the Chiefs offense 434 yards to 329, the Chiefs defense did enough to force Vegas to turn to their kicking game, ultimately costing them the upset bid.
The win means the 10-1 Chiefs have clinched a playoff spot, the first team in the league to do so this season, while 2-10 Raiders are officially out of the playoff hunt. The Chiefs remain at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 8 to face the Chargers in a Sunday Night game; pregame will be at 6 p.m. on KMMO.