Meeting in a Christmas clash in Arrowhead stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders claimed a 20-14 victory from the Kansas City Chiefs off the back of a great defensive performance. Turnovers were the decider in this contest, with the ball being lost twice by the Kansas City Chiefs to disastrous effect. Both defenses played well, with the total offensive points scored between both teams limited to 20 points. The Raiders started the scoring with a field goal to kick off the game, and the Chiefs went ahead for the only time in the game with a touchdown run to the outside by Isiah Pacheco.
The Raiders defense were the stars of this game, keeping Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambling for his life the entire game. They carried the Raiders team to victory, scoring two defensive touchdowns for the second straight week. A trick play handoff from Pacheco to Mahomes was botched, and Raiders defensive tackle Bilal Nichols came in with the scoop and scored for their first touchdown.
On the very next play from scrimmage, disaster struck again for the Chiefs, with Mahomes being picked off by Raiders cornerback Jack Jones, who returned it to the house for a second Raiders touchdown. The Chiefs were down 17-7 at the half, in the middle of a collapse they had been teetering on the edge of for weeks. The Raiders scored the only points of the third quarter with a field goal, and while the Chiefs scored a touchdown late into the fourth quarter, it would not be enough to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, with the final score of 20-14 just the latest example of a game that the Chiefs have thrown away.
With the playoff hunt approaching its end, the Chiefs will need one win over the last two weeks to clinch their division or losses from both the Denver Broncos and Raiders in that period. With the Chiefs having owned the playoffs on the AFC side for years, their odds coming into the playoffs this season will be vastly different, and they will need to quickly get their act together to have a chance at the big game.
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