Grading the KC Chiefs’ performance against the Raiders on Sunday Night Football
In one way they looked like the Chiefs of 2018-20, with Patrick Mahomes slinging for 406 yards and five touchdowns.
But in beating the Las Vegas Raiders 41-14 on Sunday Night Football, the Chiefs may have been even better because their defense, which has been steadily improving, was terrific once again.
The Chiefs improved to 6-4 and now stand in first place in the AFC West.
KC STAR OF THE GAME
Darrel Williams deserves every consideration with a 101-yard receiving, 43-yard rushing game. But when Mahomes delivers one of the best games of his career, let’s go with the quarterback.
Next: The Chiefs return to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium to face the Dallas Cowboys. Kickoff is 3:25 p.m., and the game will be televised by FOX (Ch. 4)
REPORT CARD
Passing offense: A
The Mahomes-Tyreek Hill connection worked for a pair of first-half touchdowns. Mahomes had his first multi-touchdown pass game for in a month and didn’t stop.
A gutsy play produced his third touchdown pass. The Chiefs faced fourth-and-goal at the 1. A play fake froze the defense enough for reserve tight end Noah Gray to break free and Mahomes found him for his first NFL touchdown.
The Chiefs were heavy on the screens, especially to Travis Kelce after initially staying home to block. Kelce had nine receptions total in the past two games. He had seven for 89 yards in the first half
Touchdown pass No. 4, to Darrel Williams, was finished by a superb effort from the running back to wrestle the ball away from Johnathan Abram.
A 27-yard completion to Mecole Hardman in the second quarter is what the Chiefs should be seeking more, a shallow crossing route that allowed Hardman to use his speed.
Right tackle Andrew Wylie gets a shout-out for keeping his old Eastern Michigan teammate Maxx Crosby from dominating. Wylie picked up a holding penalty but otherwise played well, as did the entire offensive line.
Rushing offense: B
Williams got behind a Noah Gray block and rumbled 21 yards in the second quarter, the longest gain of his career. Good blocking up front on a fourth-and-1 from the 3 on the first play after the two-minute warning.
The offensive line was terrific, especially rookie center Creed Humphrey, whose first-half pancake was a highlight.
Passing defense: A
Jarran Reed’s first sack as a member of the Chiefs ended a Raiders second-quarter drive. His pressure on Carr late in the third quarter caused a sloppy throw that was picked off by Daniel Sorensen.
Pass break-ups by Tyrann Mathieu and Rashad Fenton got the Raiders off the field quickly just before halftime, but the Chiefs couldn’t capitalize and missed a field goal. The Raiders got going on the first drive of the third quarter, with Carr hitting Bryan Edwards on a deep post over Anthony Hitchens for a 37-yard touchdown.
Carr was warming up after a slow first half and he hit veteran DeSean Jackson on a big gain for his first reception as a member of the Raiders. But Fenton knocked the ball loose and Mathieu was there for the recovery.
Chris Jones batted down passes on two straight plays. And the Chiefs did an excellent job on tight end Darren Waller who finished with four receptions for 24 yards.
Rushing defense: A
Two Raiders lined up in front of Melvin Ingram, and he somehow split the gap and dropped Kenyan Drake for a loss on an exceptional play. But the best tackler on the night was cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, who delivered multiple stops in the open field.
The Raiders’ 50 rushing yards were a low against the Chiefs this season.
Special teams: B
A week after the best punting game of his career, Tommy Townsend helped the Chiefs with his arm. His completion on fourth-and-7 to gunner Marcus Kemp kept alive a touchdown drive.
Byron Pringle got his hand on an AJ Cole punt but it ended up rolling 42 yards.
Harrison Butker banged through a pair of field goals but also missed one. And the Chiefs lost great field position when Mike Hughes’ 40-yard punt return ended with a fumble.
This story was originally published November 14, 2021 at 10:26 PM.