The Chiefs ran away with this game just before the half and never looked back. A 10-7 Raiders lead turned into a 17-10 deficit in just two minutes time. The Raiders had their chances to come back, but couldn’t get out of their own way or were just outmatched.
Busters
OC Luke Getsy
So many wasted opportunities in this game. Let’s start near the end of the second quarter. The Raiders had just fallen down 14-10 with under two minutes left. They had the chance to at very least be the last to have the ball. But instead they went three-and-out. First play was an end around the Chiefs sniffed out for no gain. Then a two-yard run. Then a blitz by the Chiefs that wasn’t picked up, forcing Minshew to throw it away. The Chiefs only needed to use one of their timeouts to get the ball back with a minute left. They used that time to drive for a second score in the final two minutes of the first half. That’s how to suck the air out of the building.
The first possession of the third quarter, the Raiders AGAIN went three-and-out. And it happened in much the same fashion as the previous one – run for minimal gain, short catch for no gain, and free runner on a blitz leading to an incompletion.
Next possession, the Raiders got a gift. First the defense stopped the Chiefs for a three-and-out with just one yard picked up. The punt was fielded near midfield by DJ Turner and returned to the KC 43. A late hit out of bounds tacked on another 15 yards, starting the Raiders out in field goal range at the 28. And despite getting some help from a KC holding penalty, and driving all the way to first and goal at the four, they still couldn’t punch it in. First play inside the five, Getsy had Tre Turner blocking a defensive end, leading to a four-yard loss on the run. Then on third and goal from the seven, he had John Samuel Shenker and Ameer Abdullah trying to block George Karlaftis, who brushed past both of them to get the sack.
Next possession the offense got an even bigger gift. An interception put them right back in first and goal inside the five. A second chance to get right what they got wrong the previous trip. They had the ball at the three, ran it three straight times and were still at the three. Minshew then ran right into a sack for the turnover on downs.
Understand what happened here. They had been abysmal at running the ball all day, with their backs averaging less than a yard per carry. So, they, of course, ran it three straight times and were held out of the end zone. This time last week, they were having some success running it against the Rams. And in this same situation, they abandoned the run, opting to pass it three straight times and were likewise kept from getting in the end zone. It’s like the only question when it comes to what play(s) to run is what will they least expect. Even though the reason they may not expect it is because it’s just a very bad idea that doesn’t play to your own strengths.
The only times the Raiders were able to score a TD in this game were the opening scripted drive and after they were down by two scores late. Any positive offensive numbers have to take those facts into consideration. That’s not winning football.
LB Robert Spillane
This was tough. On paper, Spillane had a great game. He led the team with 12 combined tackles (six solo) with one for a loss. But just three of those 12 tackles were inside four yards and didn’t result in a first down or touchdown.
He gave up a 13-yard catch on the first third down of the game to open up the Chiefs first touchdown drive. Their second touchdown drive, he again gave up the first down catch on their first third down. Then on third and goal from the five, he gave up the touchdown catch to Travis Kelce over the middle.
The Chiefs got the ball back with just under a minute left until the half. And Spillane gave up a wide open catch to Kelce along the way to them adding a field goal to go up 17-10. He later gave up chunk runs on each the Chiefs’ last two scoring drives.
T DJ Glaze
He gave up run stuff on the opening drive and a sack along with another run stuff that threatened to upend the Raiders’ second scoring drive. Then on their third scoring drive, he was tossed to give up a run stuff for a loss, and was flagged for illegal formation on third and goal. The Chiefs got a sack on the play, but no matter what, the Raiders weren’t scoring on the play because of the Glaze penalty.
CB Jakorian Bennett
Bennett also gave a 20-yard catch and a third down conversion. He just did it on three straight catch to lead out the Chiefs second touchdown drive. He then gave up a 16-yard that put the Chiefs in Raiders territory at the 40 in the final seconds of the second quarter, setting them up for their third score and the second in the final two minutes of the first half.
RB Alexander Mattison
Mattison finished with just 15 yards on 14 carries. Several times it seemed he left yards on the field. And a couple times perhaps even a touchdown. The big one was on third and goal from the one, where it appeared as if, had he run it straight up the gut, he would have just had LB Nick Bolton to go through to cross the goal line. But he went out right instead and was met by half the Chiefs’ defense where he was stopped for a loss.
DT John Jenkins
Credit to Jenkins for getting the tipped ball that led to the Raiders’ only takeaway. But other than that, it was that a great outing for the veteran defensive tackle. He was once again getting pushed all over the field.
He was run through on the first touchdown, then was blocked on an 11-yard shovel pass on the second TD drive. Then gave up two runs on the Chiefs’ final TD drive, including the one that put them in field goal range, and the third down conversion.
DC Patrick Graham
I lost count of how many times a Chiefs receiver was able to find a wide open soft spot in the zone or a running back came out of the backfield completely uncovered for big yards off the dump pass. Both happened multiple times on the back-to-back scoring drives to end the first half. It’s just inexcusable to so many times be wondering how a guy gets so wide open and just who was assigned to him. And coming away thinking maybe no one was and the Chiefs exploited that to the fullest.