Chiefs clinch playoff berth after edging Raiders on last-gasp botched snap
The Kansas City Chiefs have made a habit of winning games in the most unlikely of ways.
The way they beat the Raiders on Friday still left Patrick Mahomes and company shaking their heads in disbelief.
The two-time MVP watched from the sideline as Las Vegas drove within range of a winning field goal with 15 seconds left, only to botch the final offensive play, allowing the Chiefs to escape with a 19-17 victory that also sealed the victory secured. their 10th consecutive playoff berth – the second-longest streak in NFL history.
“Obviously it was a big stop in a big moment that gave us the win,” Mahomes said.
The Raiders (2-10) had taken control at their own eight-yard line with just under two minutes remaining, and quarterback Aidan O’Connell quickly moved them to midfield and eventually tapped the ball to the Kansas City 32 to stop the clock to put. .
Instead of trying for the winning field goal — Daniel Carlson had missed three from 50-plus — the Raiders lined up to make a play, hoping to gain a few yards with a throw to the sideline before time expired. But amid the roar of Arrowhead Stadium, center Andre James snapped the ball when O’Connell least expected it, and it bounced off the QB’s shoulder. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton pounced on it and the recovery stood when a flag on the play turned out to be an illegal shift by the Raiders.
“I actually didn’t watch,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said of the ill-fated play. “On that last play, a lot happened, from the referee to the flags and the breaking of the ball.”
Mahomes finished with 306 yards passing and a touchdown, and fill-in kicker Matt Wright made four field goals for the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (11-1), who posted their NFL-record winning 14th consecutive one-possession game. .
Like many of them, including last week’s win over Carolina, the Chiefs seemed in no mood to celebrate.
“I mean, we just hold ourselves to such a high standard. We don’t feel like we’re playing our best football,” Mahomes said. “We have to find a way to build up to play great (as) a full team. It’s great that we’re finding ways to win. That’s what you’re going for. But our goal is to get to the Super Bowl.”
The Raiders also had a chance to take the lead earlier in the fourth quarter when O’Connell drove them across midfield. But the Chiefs forced three incompletions — George Karlaftis and Justin Reid knocked down two — to get into fourth place.
Carlson headed upfield, but his 58-yard attempt with 2:21 remaining never got near the uprights.
O’Connell finished with 340 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Raiders, who lost eight of nine to their bitter AFC West rivals. Brock Bowers had 10 catches for 140 yards and one of the scores.
“These guys fought until the end, until the clock hit zero,” Pierce said. “They believed we would win and fought to the end. All phases contributed to helping us get to that position, but Aiden did a great job. He stayed in the pocket, made big throws for us and pushed the ball down the field. The numbers say what they’re going to say. I am proud of my team, our team. I’m proud of the fight. We fell short again against the world champions. Twice now.”
The hapless Raiders were able to hang around thanks to the same issues that have plagued the Chiefs for much of the season: their offensive tackles didn’t give Mahomes time to throw, their secondary kept breaking down and they committed too many penalties — three on one. only attacking possession.
In fact, Mahomes was under extreme pressure when he found Justin Watson from six yards out late in the first half. The pass not only gave the Chiefs a 10-3 lead, but sent the two-time MVP past Len Dawson with his franchise-record 328th TD throw.
O’Connell, who was sent back onto the field last weekend when Gardner Minshew broke his collarbone, got off to a slow start after missing a month with a broken thumb. But as the Chiefs continued to make field goals, O’Connell found his rhythm and eventually threw a pair of touchdown passes to give Las Vegas the lead.
The first was for Bowers, already one of the most productive rookies in NFL history, with 1:40 left in the third quarter. Then, after the Chiefs went three-and-out, O’Connell hit Tre Tucker on a 58-yard strike on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs answered with Wright’s fourth field goal to take a 19-17 lead with about 10 minutes left.
Before the final score was reached, a lot still had to happen.
“The win here was positive. These things are hard to come by, especially against this team,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “They’re doing well against us, it seems like every time we play them. It comes to the end.”