It was back to the scene of the crime for the Raiders and the Chiefs. The last time the Chiefs lost on their home first was Christmas Day of last season to these very same Raiders. This time a lot more wins separated the two teams. But it didn’t matter. This Black Friday was not going to be a cakewalk win for the AFC top team Chiefs.
The first half was a defensive battle mostly and it was a one-score game at 10-3 going into the locker room.
Two third quarter field goals for the Chiefs would put some space between the teams, and made it look like the same old second half collapsing Raiders.
And suddenly it wasn’t. And it happened quickly.
Off the kickoff from the second field goa Ameer Abdullah broke off a 59-yard kick return. Two plays later, he would drop one into Brock Bowers for a 33-yard touchdown to bring it to a one-score game again at 16-10.
The defense would force a three-and-out and on the second play of the Raiders possession, O’Connell launched one to Tre Tucker up the left sideline for a 69-yard touchdown. After the point after, the Raiders took at 17-16 lead over the Chiefs, giving flashbacks of their improbable win in Kansas City last season.
That lead didn’t last long. The Chiefs drove quickly down the field on the ensuing possession. But the Raiders defense held up at the end again, to limit them to a field goal and a 19-17 lead.
That’s where it would stay heading into the final minutes and the Raiders began driving again into KC territory.
A Bowers 14-yard catch put the ball at the KC 40-yard-line. But they would get no farther. George Karlaftis gets in the way of a pass into the flat to bring up third and 11. Then Justin Reid swatted one down.
With the ball at the 41 with 2:21 left, the Raiders brought out Daniel Carlson for his third attempt outside 55 yards. He had missed the previous two from 55 and 56 and this one was from 58 yards out. The kick was low and wide.
All was not lost, however. The Raiders defense stopped the Chiefs for another three-and-out, while taking just 21 seconds off the clock, giving the Raiders two minutes to again try and drive for a game-winning score.
A 25-yard connection from O’Connell to Bowers put the ball at midfield. An 11-yard pass to Jakobi Meyers and a seven-yard pass to Abdullah put the Raiders in field goal range with mere seconds left. Then…disaster.
O’Connell was not expecting the shotgun snap from center Jackson Powers Johnson and the Chiefs recovered the fumble to hold onto the win.
Brutal ending for the Raiders who had the game all but won.
Big question for me is why was he even in shotgun in this position?