Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs Game Thread
For the second straight week, the Las Vegas Raiders (2-2) are facing another undefeated team in the Kansas City Chiefs (4-0).
The Raiders have struggled, as have most NFL team's against the World Champions, but to their credit, there were no excuses this week inside the practice facility.
For the Raiders, who are bangled up, they need to play a nearly flawless game against the league's best team and perhaps the healthiest team. When you add to the pressure the long-standing rivalry, this game looms Herculean over a season.
The Raiders will be getting some players back today, but for them to win, they will need a nearly flawless performance. There is no shame to go into Arrowhead and lose a game to a team that at this moment is better than you. For the Raiders today is about effort and getting a true barometer of how far off they really are in their pursuit of the Chiefs.
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How to watch or listen to the Las Vegas Raiders versus the Kansas City Chiefs on today?
Radio: Raider Nation Radio
Odds: Las Vegas Raiders +11.5
The Raiders are ready in enemy territory
The Silver and Black are ready.
Both rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs III and tackle Trent Brown are active for today's game
COIN TOSS: Raiders win the toss. They defer to the second half.
INJURY UPDATE: Safety Lamarcus Joyner was shaken up after the first play. He walks off on his own power.
PENALTY UPDATE: Guard Kelechi Osemele commits a holding penalty. First and 20 Chiefs.
INJURY UPDATE: Osemele is injured on the field for the Chiefs. He is getting carted off the field.
INJURY UPDATE: Raiders Erik Harris is being looked for a hand injury on the sideline. Jeff Heath replaced Harris on the field.
INJURY UPDATE: Safety Lamarcus Joyner is questionable to return, citing a hamstring injury.
PENALTY UPDATE: False start on Raiders Kolton Miller. Five-yard penalty, third-down Raiders.
PENALTY UPDATE: False Start on Raiders Trent Brown. Another five-yard penalty, third-down Raiders.
SCORING UPDATE #1: Placekicker Daniel Carlson boots a 38-yard field goal in. Silver and Black lead 3-0. 6:45 left to go in the first quarter.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding called on Chiefs O'Daniel. 10-yard penalty. First down Chiefs.
PENALTY UPDATE: 4:01 left to go in the first quarter - Offside on Raiders Kendal Vickers. The penalty is declined.
SCORING UPDATE #2: Quarterback Patrick Mahomes rushes for three-yards for a touchdown. PAT is Good. Chiefs lead 7-3. 2:06 left to go in the first quarter.
PENALTY UPDATE: Illegal block in the back called on Nicholas Morrow. 10-yard penalty. First down Raiders.
PENALTY UPDATE: 1:56 left to go in the first - Pass interference called on Chiefs Ward. Ball is placed at the spot of the foul. First down Raiders.
TURNOVER: Derek Carr throws his first interception of the season. The intended target was a tight end, Darren Waller. Chiefs Breeland with the interception.
END OF FIRST QUARTER: - Chiefs lead 7-3. Ball on Las Vegas 15-yard line. Chiefs football.
SCORING UPDATE #3: The reverse run from wide receiver Tyreek Hill scores a 10-yard touchdown. PAT is Good. Chiefs lead 14-3 with 14:29 to go in the second quarter.
SCORING UPDATE #4: Wide Receiver Nelson Agholor catches a 59-yard reception for a touchdown. PAT is Good. Chiefs still lead 14-10. 11:48 left to go in the half.
CHALLENGE: Jon Gruden challenges the Tyreek Hill catch. He argues Hill stepped out of bounds. Call stands. Gruden loses a timeout.
INJURY UPDATE: Carl Nassib is questionable to return with a foot injury.
SCORING UPDATE #5: Mahomes escapes the pressure and pocket. He finds Watkins in the end zone. PAT is Good. Kansas City extends the lead to 11. 9:04 left to go in the half.
SCORING UPDATE #6: Tight end Darren Waller runs a quick route for a five-yard receiving touchdown. PAT is Good. Chiefs lead 21-17. 6:24 left to go in the first.
INJURY UPDATE: Cornerback Trayvon Mullen is down after the play. He is walking off the field with his own power.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding called on Chiefs Remmers. 10-yard penalty.
SCORING UPDATE #7: Raiders take the lead after rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs III catches a 72-yard touchdown pass. PAT is Good. Las Vegas takes the lead for the first time today, 24-21. 2:39 left to go in the half.
PENALTY UPDATE: False Start called on Chiefs Robinson. Five-yard penalty. Third and 15 Chiefs.
TIMEOUT: Raiders safety Johnathan Abram calls a timeout on the field.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING: Raiders lead 24-21. Chiefs with the ball on their own 46-yard line.
PENALTY UPDATE: Personal foul, grabbing the facemask on safety Johnathan Abram. Half the distance to the goal. First and goal Chiefs.
PENALTY UPDATE: Offensive pass interference on tight end Travis Kelce. 10-yard penalty. Repeat 2nd and goal.
SCORING UPDATE #8: Butker kicks the ball through the uprights for three. The game is tied 24-24. 0:24 left in the first half.
END OF FIRST HALF - Raiders and Chiefs are tied 24-24 at the half. Las Vegas will receive the ball in the second half.
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HALFTIME REPORT:
The first half was a shoot-out between the two rivals.
The Silver and Black had 335 offensive yards in the first half while the Chiefs had 310 offensive yards.
Let’s break it down.
On the first possession for the Chiefs, Mahomes got the game rolling with a deep throw down the field and connected to wide receiver Tyreek Hill for a touchdown. The play was called back after a holding penalty on the Chiefs.
The lucky penalty gives the Silver and Black the help it needs to stop the Chiefs offensive threat.
Luck is exactly the right word as Mahomes drove in for a three-yard rushing touchdown the following possession. The touchdown was set up by a beautiful 32-yard gain by tight end Travis Kelce, as he simply outplayed linebacker Cory Littleton.
Sticking with Kelce, he has also applied blocks when playing off the ball. He’ll work his way down the field with a few receptions, then return to blocking such as when wide receiver Tyreek Hill rushed in for a 10-yard touchdown.
The screen passes from the Chiefs are also hurting the Raiders, as they struggle to read Andy Reid’s playbook.
While the Raiders struggled on stopping Mahomes in the first half, the positive light for Las Vegas is their defensive pressure. Maxx Crosby and Chris Smith were able to get a sack on Mahomes. Anytime a defense can sack the opponent’s quarterback, it’s always a good sign.
However, just one sack doesn’t make up for the defense as a whole.
Drive after drive, Mahomes has been able to find targets down the field. While the defensive line is playing better and applying pressure to Mahomes, the versatile quarterback slips away from the pocket.
That’s exactly what happened when he found wide receiver Sammy Watkins for an eight-yard touchdown.
While the pressure is from the Raiders defense is there against Mahomes, the Raiders need an answer after they force the quarterback out of the pocket.
On the offensive end of things, the Raiders got rolling on the ground game with running back Josh Jacobs. After a quick couple of rushes, tight end Darren Waller got involved for nine yards.
A couple of plays later, on a third and long, quarterback Derek Carr found wide receiver Henry Ruggs III for a 46-yard gain. He’s back from a knee-hamstring injury.
While the Raiders managed to only get three on the board due to self-inflicting false-start penalties, the Silver and Black offense flashed a little bit of everything on the first drive, with Carr spreading the offense.
On the second possession, the Raiders moved the ball quickly down the field, albeit leaving the pocket every time. He felt the pressure and overthrew the pass to tight end Darren Waller, throwing his first interception this season.
But as Carr does Carr things, the following possession, he threw deep to wide receiver Nelson Agholor for a 59-yard touchdown.
The reason why Carr was able to execute well? He was able to stay in the pocket because he had protection.
Carr can and will throw the ball down the field when he is protected. The deep throw was possible because he had proper protection.
Later in the second quarter, he threw another bomb of a throw, this time a 72-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs III.
The Silver and Black have been missing the deep balls from the game this season. It’s finally starting to show five weeks in, again with the protection back for the Raiders.
The major change this week allowing for this protection is the return of tackle Trent Brown. The big man helps the pocket stay put for a few more vital seconds.
In addition, the reliability of running back Josh Jacobs has allowed the Raiders to mix in both the ground and air game. In the first half, he had nine carries for 32 yards. When all else fails give the ball to Jacobs.
The Raiders offense has been effective when playing at a quick pace. Carr finally has the protection he has been craving.
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START OF SECOND HALF
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding called on Chiefs Watts. 10-yard penalty from the spot of the foul. Kansas City football.
INJURY UPDATE: Cornerback Keiseasn Nixon is shaken up at the end of the punt. Nixon walks off the field with his own power.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding on defense Chiefs Matheiu. Five-yard penalty. First down Raiders.
SCORING UPDATE #9: Running back Josh Jacobs rushes for seven-yards for a touchdown. PAT is No Good. Silver and Black lead 30-24. 14:14 left to go in regulation.
PENALTY UPDATE: Grabbing the facemask called on Hankins. 15-yard penalty, first down Chiefs.
PENALTY UPDATE: Holding called on Denzelle Good. 10-yard penalty. Replay first down.
SCORING UPDATE #10 - 43-yard field goal attempt by Daniel Carlson is good. Raiders lead 33-24 with 6:24 left to go in regulation.
SCORING UPDATE #11 - Running back Josh Jacobs punches in a two-yard rush for the touchdown. PAT is Good. Raiders lead 40-24. 5:26 left to go in regulation.
Here's Jeff Heath's interception that set up the touchdown:
PENALTY UPDATE: Chiefs Schwartz with the holding penalty. 10-yard penalty. First down Chiefs.
PENALTY UPDATE: Raiders called on holding the facemask against Maxx Crosby. Half the distance to the goal. First down Chiefs.
SCORING UPDATE #12: Tight end Travis Kelce with the seven-yard touchdown reception. Two-point conversion is good. Raiders lead 40-32 with 3:57 left to go in regulation.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING - Raiders lead 40-32. Ball on Kansas City 45 yard line.
FINAL FROM ARROWHEAD STADIUM: Raiders win 40-32 against their rivals. That's the first loss for the Chiefs since Nov. 10, 2019, when Kansas City lost to the Titans.
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