FSM Essential Recap: Raiders vs Chiefs - Week 5

 

FSM Essential Recap: Raiders vs Chiefs – Week 5

Las Vegas Raiders (1-4) | Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)

Franchise Sports Media

 

In heartbreaking fashion, the Raiders lose their fourth one-score contest through five weeks of action. Thanks to Travis Kelce’s four touchdown catches, K.C. was able to rally back from down 17-0. With frustrations high, Las Vegas will next head into a much-needed bye-week.

 

With the majority of NFL Week 5 in the books, all eyes were on KCMO for Monday Night Football. In Raider Nation’s case, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium has served as a “House of Horrors,” The Silver & Black have only won there once since 2012 with fans in attendance (the 2020-win at Arrowhead was played under pandemic regulations, in an empty building). Additionally, the home field energy in Kansas City is regularly among the harshest environments in the NFL.

We saw the Football Giants upset the Packers across the pond early Sunday. Then, Houston was able to grab their first win of the year in Jacksonville. So how can Vegas upset K.C.? If you caught my Raiders-Chiefs MNF preview over the weekend, you’d know I was zoned in on the pass rush getting to Mahomes, communicating on offense through the raucous crowd, and delivering touchdowns when in the red zone (rather than field goals).

Given the Raiders‘ slow start to 2022, they’ll operate with urgency for the remainder of the year, especially in AFC West games. For Vegas, the Chiefs were the last remaining division rival that they had not seen this season (splitting divisional games 1-1 against the Chargers and Broncos so far); Sometimes in life, you grow comfortable in situations of high adversity. For better or worse, that’s what the season will be like for Raider Nation as we advance.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, have zoomed out of the opening gates. Sitting at 3-1, Kansas City has only had one divisional contest thus far in 2022: A dramatic 27-24 victory over the Bolts on Thursday Night Football. Now faced with their oldest rival (despite dominating the Raiders for the past six years), even this version of the Chiefs understands the intensity and disdain that these two franchises hold reserved for one another.

Before jumping into this week’s recap of Monday Night Football, refer to the 53-man roster to stay up to date with all roster movement and transactions.

 

Previous contests

 

HOF game: Raiders 27 – Jaguars 11
PRE1: Raiders 26 – Vikings 20
PRE2: Raiders 15 – Dolphins 13
PRE3: Raiders 23 – Patriots 6

WK1: Chargers 24 – Raiders 19 (L)
WK2: Cardinals 29 – Raiders 23 (OT)/(L)
WK3: Titans 24 – Raiders 22 (L)
WK4: Raiders 32 – Broncos 23 (W)

1st Quarter

 

The Raiders would open Monday Night Football with the ball. Their first drive would breeze by in a flash, going three-and-out after WR Mack Hollins dropped a dime down the right sideline from Derek Carr. Fortunately for Las Vegas, the Chiefs would not be able to move the chains on their opening possession either; A sack from “Mad” Maxx Crosby ensured that, forcing K.C. to punt the ball back to the Raiders. NOTE: TE Darren Waller left the game with a hamstring injury after Las Vegas’ first possession.

The next possession for the Silver & Black would be far more fulfilling. After sustaining a sack on 1st down, Carr flicked a screen pass to RB Josh Jacobs (who was absolutely everywhere for the second straight week) for a gain of 15 yards. Now nearing midfield, the Raiders would eventually be faced with a 4th down. From there, Carr went play-action en route to finding a wide-open Davante Adams for a 58-yard touchdown on a deep post. BOOM: 7-0 Las Vegas.

Down a score early, Mahomes and the Chiefs had their share of struggles in the first half. For their next offensive drive, Kansas City again failed to score. The drive started promising for K.C. after downfield catches from WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling and TE Travis Kelce, but a timely 3rd down blitz from S Johnathan Abram stalled the drive. Now well within field goal range, K Matthew Wright shanked the 41-yard attempt wide right: Raider ball!

The final drive of the first quarter was another productive one for Las Vegas. The Raiders got moving by feeding Jacobs between the tackles as the burley running back ran through arm tackles all night long. FB Jakob Johnson then had a clutch 1st down reception. However, the Raiders would be forced to continue the drive in 2Q, as the first quarter’s time expired.

 

2nd Quarter

 

Having flipped the field, it was actually a couple of balls that the Raiders did not catch that landed the offense on Kansas City’s goal line (see the back-to-back pass interference calls on balls thrown deep to Adams). Now just a breath away from the end zone, Carr handed off to Jacobs, who bulldozed in for the score. With a 14-0 lead, Las Vegas looked incredibly confident (much to the detest of the Arrowhead crowd).

In the hole, could the Chiefs rally for a responding score? Well, this possession would certainly not be the one. In their quickest drive of the night, K.C. went three-and-out in 90 seconds of game time. Punting back to the Raiders, the Silver & Back were able to take advantage.

We’ve all heard the phrase “feed the hot hand,” and that’s exactly what McDaniels had his offense do. Going back to Jacobs, the 4th year Alabama man ripped off runs of 13 and 21 yards before hauling in a 7-yard reception. Now faced with 4th and one on the Chiefs’ side of the field, K Daniel Carlson trotted out to successfully boot a 53-yard field goal (his 36th consecutive made FG, the longest current streak in the NFL). Up 17-0, many Raider fans were pinching themselves. Well, don’t pinch too hard!

Down three scores with just over nine minutes left in the first half, Mahomes finally got the offense rolling. To start, he zipped an 18-yard pass to Valdes-Scantling. Next, RB Jerick McKinnon added back-to-back 1st down runs before RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire chipped in with a reception that brought the football to the Raiders’ goal line. From there, it was all too easy for Mahomes to find his favorite target Kelce for the 1-yard touchdown catch. Seeing “Killa” Trav score is something that no Raider fan looks forward to. More on that later. Either way, Kansas City is on the board, down 17-7.

For Vegas’ final drive before halftime, they did well to produce more points. Going back to Jacobs, he continued to snap-off 1st down runs between the tackles. From there, an 18-yard catch by Adams put the Raiders back onto Kansas City’s side of the field. Unfortunately, Vegas’ next three plays would be stuffed, forcing them to settle for another Carlson FG (this one from 50 yards, extending his streak to 37 makes in a row). With only 17 seconds left in the half, we should be headed for the locker rooms, right? Wrong.

After all, this is Patrick Mahomes; We are all well aware of what he can do in that amount of time. It took only two passes to McKinnon and a facemask penalty on S Roderic Teamer, and next thing you know, K Matt Wright is punching through a 59-yard field goal as the 2Q clock is expiring. With the score now 20-10 Raiders, the Arrowhead faithful let their displeasure be known, bellowing booming boos and tossing beers at the Raider players headed for the tunnel. I guess that’s just how it goes sometimes.

3rd Quarter

 

Starting with Kansas City on offense, the 3Q got underway with intention. Over a 12-play drive that featured more impressive catches and runs from MVS. Next, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster checked in with a 13-yard reception into the L.V. red zone. Any guesses where Mahomes went with the ball next? Oh yes, he sought out the talents of his All-Pro tight end, zipping a strike to Kelce for a 4-yard touchdown. Just like that, it’s back to a one-score game: 20-17 Vegas.

The following possession for the Raiders was likely their ugliest of the day, drawing three penalties (Hollins‘s illegal block, Offense-delay of game, Carr‘s intentional grounding) en route to a three-and-out series. Overall, the drive had a net gain of -12 yards. To make matters worse, punter A.J. Cole booted the ball a little funky, resulting in the Chiefs‘ fair catch at midfield.

From there, Kansas City embarked on another methodical drive. The Chiefs started the possession by diving and dunking their way downfield before Mahomes hit WR Mecole Hardman with a 28-yard pass (back into Vegas’ red zone). In a nightmarish deja vu moment for the Silver & Black, Mahomes again found Kelce in the end zone: This time, from 8 yards out. Now with a hat trick (three touchdowns), Kelce and the Chiefs are ahead for the first time all night, 24-20. 

With the pressure dialed up, the Raiders desperately needed to score on their next drive. The LV offense started well as Carr found TE Jesper Horsted (in for the injured Waller) for a 10-yard gain. Next, Jacobs popped his biggest run of the day. A 37-yard scamper pushed out-of-bounds at the KC 22-yard line. Unfortunately for Raider Nation, a blitzing LB, Darius Harris, got to Carr on the very next play, sacking him for a loss of 11 yards (in what would be the final play of 3Q).

 

4th Quarter

 

Still, with the ball, the Raiders were able to regain composure enough for another Carlson field goal (his streak is now at 38 consecutive makes). With 14 minutes left to play, we have a one-point game, the Chiefs leading 24-23.

And in typical Patrick Mahomes style, he produced another 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. MVS and McKinnon shouldered the work in the early portion of the drive. From there, a Chiefs penalty (illegal motion) gave the Raiders some hope at a defensive stop, especially when Chandler Jones and Bilal Nichols combined for a major TFL on the next play. Then, in what looked like an easy 1st down, MVS dropped a wide-open look. Forced into an FG situation, Matt Wright missed his second kick of the night … only to be bailed out by a ticky-tack defensive holding penalty on DE Malcolm Koonce.

The Chiefs would be awarded a new set of downs and made sure it was not in vain, as Mahomes found (you guessed it) Kelce for a 1-yard touchdown catch: Kelce’s fourth score of the day (in baseball, we call that a silver sombrero). In gut-punching fashion, the Chiefs extend their lead to 30-23 (failing their 2-pt conversion try).

With even more pressure (and 7:25 left in regulation), the Raiders were tasked with a “score or lose” scenario. The drive began with Carr finding Jacobs for a 13-yard reception. From there, RB Brandon Bolden got involved by moving the chains on a 5-yard catch. What followed was the Raiders’ second-longest play of the day: A 48-yard dime to Adams on a stutter-n-go for a touchdown!

For irony’s sake, the Raiders finally managed a second-half stop, forcing the Chiefs into a punt. Needing only a field goal to win the game, the Raiders regained possession with over two and a half minutes remaining.

Well, the drive started promising (like this game overall) but wound up coming to a sudden halt. Las Vegas was moving the ball confidently; Jacobs and WR Hunter Renfrow did their parts to pick up a few first downs for the Raiders. Next, a pretty sideline ball from Carr to Adams appeared to put Vegas within Carlson’s field goal range. However, brutally, the reception was overturned, ruling that Adams did not have true possession with two feet down. Now faced with 4th and 1, the Raiders choose to go back to the air. Unfortunately, Renfrow and Adams collided with each other at the target spot (not entirely sure who ran the wrong route), watching the ball bounce to the floor. Turnover on downs, and the Chiefs win 30-29.

Now, the Silver & Black will have 13 long days to reflect on how this season has gone, returning to action at Allegiant Stadium against the Houston Texans on Oct. 23rd.

Takeaways

 

Despite the dismal record of 1-4, the Raiders actually have aspects they can hang their head on. Yes, in some freaky alternate universe, the Raiders are actually 5-0 (all four losses have been by a single score with opportunities to win). RB Josh Jacobs has clearly established himself to his new coaches as a 3-down back, and that sort of consistency will keep the Raiders in many games. Additionally, Crosby and the defensive line have also looked productive in every contest, having held all individual opposing rushers to under 90 yards (Derrick Henry’s 85 yards in Week 3 have been the most they’ve allowed). Perhaps it’d be wise to scheme around those areas.

 

Las Vegas’ defense must improve at covering tight ends, especially in the red zone. I realize that Kelce (the best receiving tight end in the NFL) has always had the Raiders‘ number, but allowing one player to score four separate times in similar situations is unacceptable.

 

Speaking of tight ends, how serious is Darren Waller’s hamstring injury? Well, I don’t know for sure, but being that it kept him out of all action after the opening possession, I’d say it’s reasonably serious. Naturally, Waller is a player that is vital to the Raiders‘ overall offensive scheme. Still, his unavailability, coupled with his periodical lack of effort, has left Raider Nation with their palms to the sky. The upcoming bye-week should do well for Waller.

 

Although questionable, McDaniels decision to go for two seemed to be supported by the team. Judging from body language and media reports after the game, Carr and the offense were already committed to attempting a two-point conversion on that drive. Given the offensive star on the other sideline, you can somewhat understand why the Raiders would not have been comfortable with a tied game and the ball in Mahomes‘ hands. Is it the decision I would have made? Being that a potential field goal from Kansas City would have still won the game for them, I’d say no. But hey, that’s football.

 

 

In Week 6, The Raiders will head into their Bye at 1-4. Following the off-week, the Silver & Black will return to “Fabulous” Las Vegas for an AFC clash against the Houston Texans, scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 23.

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-Gabe Santiago – Franchise Sports Media

Follow Gabe on Twitter & Instagram at @gps_onthemic

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