Winners and Losers From the KC Chiefs' Week 12 Game vs. Las Vegas Raiders

The Kansas City Chiefs are back on the winning train, securing a 31-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon and into the evening.

It was a convincing win for Andy Reid's bunch, and one that came after a bit of a slow start. Finding themselves down 14-0 in the first half, Kansas City did something it hasn't done much of this year: climb back into a game. On the backs of some stellar defense down the stretch and an efficient offensive performance, the Chiefs took care of business and escaped Vegas with a big-time outcome.

With that in mind, let's point out some of the Chiefs' biggest winners and losers from the 12th week of the NFL season.

Winner: Isiah Pacheco

Not too often will a player have a catch for a loss of 11 yards right off the bat and average just 3.7 yards per carry but still be deemed a winner. Second-year running back Isiah Pacheco was a key contributor on Sunday, though, pitching in two touchdowns on the ground and hauling in multiple successful passes through the air. Pacheco's receiving average per game is more than double what it was in 2022, and he's evolved into a well-rounded halfback. The Chiefs needed him to help keep the offense afloat — he answered the call.

Loser: Justin Reid

Justin Reid has generally been a solid contributor on the back end of the Chiefs' defense, so there isn't any need to worry. With that said, he had a very rough first half that was littered with miscommunications, missed tackles and general blunders. Reid responded well with a big stuff on a second-down play in the third quarter, but this was far from his best effort. He'll look to bounce back with a much more consistent effort in Week 13.

Winner: Rashee Rice

Similar to the Pacheco inclusion, Rice had some downfalls on Sunday (two dropped passes) but still came away a clear winner anyway. The rookie recorded his first career 100-yard game in Week 12, setting new personal bests in receptions and targets as well. It was a game to remember for the second-round pick. The Chiefs believe they're just scratching the surface with Rice, which should be a scary thought for the rest of the conference.

Rashee Rice in Week 12:

- 71% route participation
(previous high of 64%)
- 31% target share
(previous high of 19%)

On the season, Rice has an elite 2.43 yard per route run rate, ranking 9th among WRs with 200+ targets just ahead of Puka Nacua and Jaylen Waddle. https://t.co/Svw1NgNMjW
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) November 27, 2023

Loser: Marquez Valdes-Scantling

One week removed from a reception-less outing and a backbreaking drop late in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, some believed that Marquez Valdes-Scantling would bounce back this time around. On the contrary, the veteran wideout had just one catch for a loss of one yard versus the Raiders. There's still some residual value in having Valdes-Scantling on the field (namely his understanding of the playbook and blocking prowess) but he hasn't produced much this season. That trend continued on Sunday.

Winner: The Patrick Mahomes-Travis Kelce duo

A two-for-one special here, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce both looked much more like their normal selves in this week's win. Mahomes completed 27 of his 34 passes for 298 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Kelce had six catches for 91 yards. The NFL's best duo was back in full force against a divisional opponent in Week 12 after struggling to connect in recent weeks. As playoff football draws near, that's a good sight for the Chiefs.

Loser: Richie James

In fairness to Richie James, he did bring back a kickoff for 29 yards and a punt for 10 yards. He did his job on special teams. On the other hand, he didn't log a single target in his nine offensive snaps and was redirected pre-snap on a couple of occasions. With Mecole Hardman on injured reserve and Kadarius Toney out of the lineup, this was perhaps James's best opportunity to make a profound impact on offense. That didn't happen, prompting some doubt about his long-term role beyond what he currently has.

Winner: George Karlaftis

It was another effective game for second-year man George Karlaftis, as he recorded his eighth sack of the season on Sunday. That makes it five of six straight games with at least half a sack for last year's first-round pick. Karlaftis bringing solid run defense and some pressure to the table at the defensive end spot is always a plus for the Chiefs' defense. 'Furious George' kept chugging along in Week 12.

Loser: Kansas City in the first quarter

In lieu of finding another player to single out, let's roll with the entire Chiefs team. Not only did the offense struggle to get anything going in the opening frame (11 yards), but it hardly had the chance to. Las Vegas possessed the ball for just over 13 minutes of play. On defense, Kansas City surrendered 144 total net yards on an average of 6.5 yards per play. Things stabilized on both ends over the course of the contest, although a slow start dug the team into a hole that not many were certain it could get out of at the time.