Four Takeaways From the KC Chiefs' 31-17 Win Over the LV Raiders
Coming off a loss in Week 11, the Kansas City Chiefs had revenge on their minds for Week 12. That's exactly what they got, righting the ship against a divisional opponent in the process.
Despite stumbling out of the gate a bit, Andy Reid's squad bounced back with quite the performance over the final three quarters. Enough plays were made on both sides of the ball to result in a two-score victory, bringing the final total to 31-17 by the time the clock hit zeros. The Chiefs still control their own destiny within the conference and rise to 8-3 following their Sunday afternoon triumph.
Here are four immediate thoughts on the game.
A slow start on both sides made things difficult early on
Even when the offense has struggled in recent weeks, the Chiefs have generally done something in the first quarter to leave some sort of indication that progress was made. Early on in Las Vegas, however, it was the exact opposite. Holding possession of the football for less than two minutes in the first quarter, Kansas City couldn't get anything going. In a very rare feat, not a single rush was attempted in the first quarter. It was a frame to forget for the offense.
Speaking of a quarter that the Chiefs wanted to leave in the past, this was the first time all season that Steve Spagnuolo's defense looked like it didn't have an answer. Las Vegas amassed 221 net yards through its first three drives, with 144 of them coming in the first quarter. The Raiders went 5-for-5 on their first five third-down conversion attempts and logged multiple big-time plays (63-yard rush, 33-yard pass, touchdown pass, a couple of nice chain-movers by Jakobi Meyers). The home team started off hot and the visitors were stepping on their own feet, making for a tricky start for Kansas City.
Kansas City bounced back with one heck of a second quarter
On the offensive end, the Chiefs answered with a strong showing in the second quarter. Averaging 6.6 yards per play, the unit went 3-for-4 on third downs and controlled the clock for over two-thirds of the frame. Mahomes completed 10 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown to Justin Watson, converting on attempts to six different receivers. While Kansas City may not have run the ball with tremendous efficiency (nine carries for 27 yards), Isiah Pacheco contributed a touchdown at the goal line.
Defensively, it's hard to ignore Steve Spagnuolo's group allowing Josh Jacobs to run for the aforementioned 63-yard touchdown. The Raiders averaged 11.2 yards per play in that second quarter, although rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell completed just three passes for 24 yards. The best defense for slowing down Las Vegas was simply slowing the game down and putting up more of a fight on offense. It worked, tying things up and setting the tone for the rest of the afternoon.
Reid and Mahomes destroyed the Raiders on short-yardage throws
It's become increasingly apparent that if the Chiefs want to have sustained success on offense, attacking deep down the field isn't the way to go. In a post-Tyreek Hill world and now that JuJu Smith-Schuster is no longer in the building to open up things for others, Kansas City's passing game is predicated on quick throws, good timing and a patient approach. Not only did the Chiefs snap out of their funk for a while on Sunday, but they did it while going with things that complement their skill sets and needs on offense.
A look at Mahomes's passing chart on Next Gen Stats reveals that he was remarkably effective on most of his passes either behind or within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. The Chiefs' utilization of screens was among their best in recent seasons, even after an 11-yard loss on their first offensive play of the game. Getting the ball in the hands of playmakers such as Isiah Pacheco worked in that regard, as did feeding Rashee Rice on short-to-intermediate passes. In all, Mahomes went for 298 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. This was a positive step from the offense against a defense that had held its previous three opponents to point totals of 20, 12 and 6.
While competitive, the Raiders likely don't have to appear on the Chiefs' radar anymore
Coming into Week 12, the Chiefs needed a win not only to keep pace atop the AFC but also to avoid other teams gaining ground on them within the division. The Denver Broncos (already winners of one of their two games versus Kansas City) didn't do a ton to help that, taking care of the Cleveland Browns. With the Raiders having won two of their last three games and being just two games behind the Chiefs in the win column entering Sunday, a loss would have suddenly made things a bit interesting. Luckily for Reid's team, they don't have to deal with that reality.
Las Vegas' 5-7 record doesn't totally doom them as far as competing for a wild card spot is concerned, sure. However, it almost surely extinguishes hopes to rally and win the division. These two clubs do play again on Christmas, but the Chiefs being 8-3 puts the Raiders firmly in the rearview mirror. Barring a complete and utter collapse and Denver getting leapfrogged, the West is back to a two-horse race that is still heavily favored to be a one-team contest when it's all said and done.
