Kelce catches 4 TDs from Mahomes as KC Chiefs erase 17-0 deficit, beat Raiders on MNF
The Chiefs were sleep-walking in the first half of Monday night’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
But they woke up with a fury shortly after a controversial roughing the passer penalty against Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones.
The Chiefs proceeded to overcome a double-digit deficit behind tight end Travis Kelce’s four-touchdown night, and then held on to secured a 30-29 win over the Raiders.
“What a good win to get against a rival,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “(Raiders coach) Josh (McDaniels) has done a phenomenal job there with the Raiders and they played us very tough. Our crowd was tremendous tonight, digging in for four quarters with us and hanging right there.”
The questionable penalty against Jones, which occurred after the defensive tackle forced a fumble by quarterback Derek Carr, appeared to be the catalyst behind the Chiefs’ win.
Before the infraction — which apparently was assessed because Jones fell with his full weight onto Carr as he sacked the Vegas signal-caller — the Chiefs were sluggish and trailed 17-7 after falling behind 17-0. The penalty extended the Raiders’ drive, which kicker Daniel Carlson finished with a 50-yard field goal.
The penalty assessed on Jones had Reid fuming on the sideline. Reid repeatedly attempted to get head referee Carl Cheffers’ attention about it for an explanation, even during the Chiefs’ subsequent possession.
At the end of the first half, which saw the Chiefs close the gap to 20-10, Reid went straight to Cheffers for a talk. Reid was demonstrative with his arms before heading to the locker-room tunnel.
Whatever Reid said to the players in that locker room after the penalty worked because the Chiefs were a different team in the second half.
“The guys felt the same way I did,” Reid said. “I think it gave us a little juice, probably.”
Kelce recorded touchdown catches on the Chiefs’ first two possessions of the second half, helping the home team roar back and take a 24-20 lead. The All-Pro tight end was a nightmare mismatch in the red zone for the Raiders, who couldn’t figure out how to keep Kelce out of the end zone.
Kelce finished the game with seven catches for 25 yards and four touchdowns — a Chiefs record for a tight end — on eight targets.
Kelce might have been quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target when the Chiefs got in close, but Mahomes did spread the ball around to nine receivers. Marquez Valdes-Scantling paced the receivers group with six catches for 90 yards on eight targets.
Mahomes, who entered the game averaging 318.3 yards passing in eight previous games against the Raiders, was 29 of 43 for 292 yards and four touchdowns — no interceptions — for a 117.6 passer rating. The star quarterback, who is now 8-1 against the Raiders since becoming the Chiefs’ full-time starter in 2018, said he believed the team showed a lot of character in the comeback win.
“For guys to respond and just to keep battling — we were down 17 points — and show that we can fight back from anything, that’s what you want to see out of any great football team,” Mahomes said.
Defensively, the Chiefs had too many mistakes and allowed multiple big plays. Raiders receiver Davante Adams racked up 124 yards and two touchdown catches. Running back Josh Jacobs gouged the Chiefs with 154 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, while Carr finished 19 of 30 for 241 yards and two touchdowns.
Kansas City’s defense, though, came up big when needed most and stuffed Jacobs’ 2-point conversion attempt. If successful, the conversion would’ve given the Raiders a 31-30 lead late in the fourth quarter.
“Our D-line, we had to reach down deep,” Reid said. “(Defensive tackle) Khalen Saunders played a heck of a game. (Defensive end Malik) Herring played a nice game stepping in, and got a ton of snaps.”
Saunders finished with four tackles while Herring had one.
The Chiefs have now won nine of their last 10 games against the Raiders and improve to 4-1 overall this season.
“All in all, it was probably a tale of halves,” Reid said. “We played a lot better in the second half, or at least the second part of the second quarter there, and then through the second half than we did the first half. It was a nice win to get, for sure.”
Here’s what else stood out Monday night:
EARLY ONE-ON-ONE PROBLEMS
Chiefs cornerback Rashad Fenton found himself locked up against Adams early in the game. It didn’t work out in Fenton’s favor.
On a fourth-and-1 situation in the first quarter, Carr executed a perfect play-action, faking the handoff before looking deep for Adams, who easily got behind Fenton and scored on a 58-yard touchdown.
On Vegas’ next series, Fenton was flagged for pass interference on Adams down the right sideline. Two plays later, rookie cornerback Jaylen Watson was in single coverage against Adams and committed pass interference in the end zone, setting up the ball at the Chiefs’ 1-yard line. Jacobs punched it in shortly after for the touchdown.
Adams’ final touchdown came with rookies Watson and safety Bryan Cook in coverage.
The performance by the Raiders receiver showed how much the Chiefs’ cornerbacks group is missing 2022 first-round pick Trent McDuffie, who is eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 6.
HARDMAN MAKES PRESENCE FELT
After recording just two catches for 6 yards in the previous two games, Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman came back to produce a season-high 73 yards receiving on four catches (five targets).
“Mecole just had some tough yards for us, man, stepped up there,” Reid said.
Hardman has been dealing with a heel injury this season and recently admitted he was limited in what he could do on the field. The fourth-year pro said earlier in the week that he was close to 100% healthy, and his game against the Raiders showed what has been missing.
TACKLES STRUGGLE
The Chiefs’ offensive line dominated the trenches in Week 4 against Tampa Bay. But Monday night’s performance left plenty to be desired.
Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. struggled against Chandler Jones, while right tackle Andrew Wylie allowed Maxx Crosby to record two sacks. Mahomes was hit six times in the game and sacked three times.
The tackles’ play, though, picked up after a challenge from their starting quarterback.
“I kind of went to the line and said, ‘We’re going to win or lose this game because of you all,’” Mahomes said. “And they responded. They went out there and blocked their tails off the entire second half and gave me time to make throws down the field.”
HARRIS CONTINUES IMPRESSIVE PLAY
Linebacker Darius Harris recorded a team-high 10 tackles, adding his first career sacks and a quarterback hit in Monday night’s win.
“I felt good getting a sack,” Harris said. “I made up for the last one I missed last week. It felt good to actually complete this one.”
Harris has done nothing but make plays since stepping in for Willie Gay Jr., who was suspended for four games on Sept. 19. Over the past three games, Harris has totaled 23 tackles as the weakside linebacker in the Chiefs’ defensive scheme and should start again in Week 6.
Gay is eligible to return after Week 6.
INJURIES
Defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton was carted to the locker room in the first quarter with a knee injury. The Chiefs quickly ruled him out of the game.
Reid said after the game that Wharton suffered a torn ACL in his left knee.
Reid revealed that rookie safety Bryan Cook suffered a concussion, adding that defensive end Frank Clark dealt with an illness, cornerback Chris Lammons suffered a hip injury and Fenton dealt with cramps.
NOT SUITED UP
Kicker Harrison Butker (left ankle sprain), guard Trey Smith (pectoral), defensive end Mike Danna (calf), running back Ronald Jones, quarterback Shane Buechele, defensive end Joshua Kaindoh and defensive end Benton Whitley were inactive.
UP NEXT
The Chiefs play host to the Buffalo Bills in Week 6 on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
This story was originally published October 10, 2022 at 10:41 PM.
