Chiefs Turning Heads with Start Slow vs. Raiders on Black Friday
The Kansas City Chiefs, for the second consecutive week, have struggled to look like a Super Bowl contender against a far inferior opponent.
On Friday, the Chiefs played host to the Las Vegas Raiders for a divisional contest that looked a little too much like last year’s Christmas Day defeat.
Through two quarters, Kansas City leads 10-3.
© Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The Chiefs started with the ball with a double-digit play drive that took the first five minutes off the clock. New kicker Matthew Wright introduced himself kindly with a chip-shot field goal to put Kansas City ahead.
However, the teams would trade punts on the next two drives, potentially with Wright’s inexperience and the weather coming into play. The Chiefs decided to punt from the Las Vegas 37-yard line.
The Raiders made good on the gift, taking the ball into the second quarter and hitting a short field goal of their own, tying the game at three.
Kansas City then punted again, keeping Las Vegas around. But the Raiders’ luck is as meager as their 2-0 record. Having stopped Patrick Mahomes’ offense multiple times in the first quarter, they had an opportunity to take a lead, albeit mitigated by field goals instead of touchdowns.
That opportunity was wasted when kicker Daniel Carlson missed a 56-yard field goal, giving the Chiefs all the leeway they would need to remind everyone who has the upper hand in this rivalry.
Taking over at Kansas City’s 47-yard line, Mahomes made light work of a bad defense, beginning the drive with a 26-yard catch. Immediately, the Chiefs were in position to score. This time, it ended with six instead of three.
Mahomes, despite the left side of his offensive line collapsing in on him, hit receiver Justin Watson for a six-yard score and a touchdown lead. The Raiders were unable to score on the ensuing drive, giving Kansas City the ball with a minute remaining in the first half.
Mahomes quickly hit receiver DeAndrew Hopkins for a big gain and found tight end Noah Gray for nine yards on back-to-back plays, giving them just enough time to kick a field goal. From 58 yards, Wright was unsuccessful, ending the half.
Kansas City started slow, but with the best team in football on one side of the line of scrimmage and a weak Las Vegas team on the other, those missed opportunities from the first half could prove to be the difference.
The Raiders will receive the second-half kickoff.
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