KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a nail-biting finish, the Kansas City Chiefs managed to hold on for a 19-17 win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday night, thanks to a critical mistake by the Raiders that preserved their victory and secured Kansas City’s 10th straight playoff appearance.
With just under two minutes left on the clock, the Raiders began their drive from their own 8-yard line. Aidan O’Connell quickly advanced the team to midfield and temporarily halted the play by spiking the ball at the Kansas City 32-yard line. Instead of opting for a field goal attempt despite Daniel Carlson’s previous misses from over 50 yards, the Raiders called a play. However, a botched snap from Andre James caught O’Connell off guard and resulted in the ball bouncing off his shoulder, which allowed Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton to recover, sealing the game as a flag for an illegal shift nullified the Raiders’ play.
This match marked the 14th consecutive time the Chiefs have emerged victorious in tightly contested games, further extending their winning streak in such scenarios.
Earlier in the quarter, the Las Vegas team had another opportunity to score. O’Connell successfully moved them past midfield but faced a formidable Chiefs defense that forced three straight incompletions. With the game on the line, Carlson attempted a 58-yard field goal, only for his kick to miss its target.
Patrick Mahomes had a standout performance for the Chiefs, throwing for 306 yards and one touchdown, while backup kicker Matt Wright contributed significantly with four successful field goals. On the other side, O’Connell amassed 340 passing yards and two touchdown passes for the Raiders, who now find themselves struggling with only two wins this season and have lost eight of their last nine encounters against the Chiefs. Rookie wide receiver Brock Bowers made a significant impact with 10 receptions for 140 yards, including one of the touchdown catches.
The Raiders managed to remain competitive despite their ongoing struggles, including issues with protecting O’Connell, allowing him to be pressured throughout the game, and the secondary’s failure to maintain coverage, compounded by numerous penalties—three of which occurred during a single offensive drive.
Despite these setbacks, Mahomes displayed resilience, throwing a touchdown pass to Justin Watson just before halftime, resulting in a 10-3 lead for Kansas City. This also marked a notable achievement for Mahomes, as it was his franchise-record 328th touchdown, surpassing the legendary Len Dawson.
O’Connell’s performance improved as he settled into the game, throwing two touchdown passes that gave the Raiders a brief lead. His first touchdown throw connected with Bowers late in the third quarter, followed by a spectacular 58-yard touchdown to Tre Tucker to open the fourth quarter. The Chiefs responded with Wright’s fourth successful field goal, regaining the lead as they found themselves ahead 19-17 with around 10 minutes remaining.
In terms of notable individual performances, Chris Jones had a standout night for the Chiefs, recording two sacks after having gone without one for seven games. The Raiders, meanwhile, have faced double-digit deficits in every matchup this season. Additionally, Mahomes faced pressure in consecutive weeks, being sacked five times, an unusual occurrence for the quarterback who previously held a streak of 113 starts without facing such a fate.
Injury reports revealed that Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner left the game in the second half due to a knee issue.
Looking ahead, the Raiders are set to visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 8, while the Chiefs will host the Los Angeles Chargers on the same night.