Let’s be honest for a moment. The Las Vegas Raiders choked their opportunity away to be a game behind in the AFC West standings, and now instead they own the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. In a game full of emotions, head coach Josh McDaniels came out with the right mindset. Take the first quarter as an example, as he gambled on a fourth and short, which resulted in a 58-yard touchdown catch from Davante Adams.
The Las Vegas Raiders dominated in the first half, mostly.
Not long after, Josh Jacobs ran in for a one-yard touchdown to put the Raiders up 14-0. Daniel Carlson would take on a field goal to extend their lead to 17-0. That seemed like a good cushion, but the Raiders are going to be the Raiders. Las Vegas’s defense, which was led by Maxx Crosby, kept the Kansas City Chiefs scoreless until the last four minutes of the second quarter. Also to blame for this scoring drought is Chiefs kicker Matthew Wright’s missed field goal.
For their first of four touchdowns that night, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce woke up and connected for a one-yard score. The Raiders would lead 20-10 at the end of the first half following a Wright field goal. Even though it looks like a big advantage, it’s usually not enough to beat the Chiefs. As the old adage goes, “no lead is safe when playing the Chiefs.”
What happened in the second half of Monday Night Football?
In the third quarter, Mahomes and Kelce connected for two touchdowns to retake the lead, 24-20. The Chiefs were on a 24-3 run as the third quarter came to a close.
With a field goal in the fourth quarter, Carlson gave the Raiders their first points of the second half. Once again, Mahomes and Kelce would connect for a touchdown, but they missed a two-point conversion, so they were still up 30-23. There was a chance for the Raiders to tie the game. For their second score of the game, Derek Carr found Adams off of one foot. The Raiders could have tied the score with a PAT, but instead they decided to try for two. Jacobs came up short on the two-point conversion, which lost them the match or a possible overtime.
Now they had to rely on their own defense to take a stand. And they delivered. It was time for Carr to show how clutch he really was, as he had over two minutes to orchestrate a game-winning drive. Everything appeared to be in order as soon as they entered the Chiefs’ territory. Adams made the catch that may have won the game, but it was ruled to be incomplete after review.
When Adams and Hunter Renfrow collided on fourth and short with the game on the line, Carr had no chance of finding a guy. That collision cost the Raiders a chance to win the game. The Raiders are 1-4 after a 29-30 loss to the Chiefs and will have a much-needed bye week. After the bye, their schedule becomes easier, but you can’t trust this squad yet.
*Top Photo: AP Photo/David Richard