The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs would appear to have already used 5 years of fine luck this season, however the soccer gods simply preserve delivering extra.
The Chiefs did not wait till the final play to get their success this time, however a botched snap by the Los Angeles Raiders on Friday and a restoration by the Chiefs with 11 seconds left qualifies as one other beautiful dose.
The Raiders have been on the Kansas Metropolis 32-yard line and in place to try a go-ahead subject objective when the Chiefs once more obtained late-game magic. That 19-17 escape marked Kansas Metropolis’s ninth victory by single digits this season—a brand new NFL file.
5 of Kansas Metropolis’s victories have been decided on the ultimate play of the sport: two made subject targets, one dashing landing in additional time, one blocked subject objective and one opponent landing overturned.
Now they get this newest win the place Raiders heart Jackson Powers-Johnson unexpectedly snapped the ball. It caromed off the higher proper arm of quarterback Aidan O’Connell, and the Chiefs’ Nick Bolton recovered it to go away Las Vegas shocked and make Kansas Metropolis (10-1) the primary group to clinch a playoff spot.
Kansas Metropolis blew a 16-3 lead in opposition to the lowly Raiders (2-10), who scored two touchdowns to maneuver forward earlier than the Chiefs acquired a go-ahead subject objective from Matthew Wright.
5 days earlier, the Chiefs blew a 14-point lead in opposition to the horrid Carolina Panthers earlier than needing a subject objective as time expired to win.
So we’re seeing that Kansas Metropolis is not a formidable group. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes mentioned the Chiefs must get higher. I believe all of us agree with him.
To not be forgotten is that Kansas Metropolis wobbled quite a bit final season. After their Week 10 bye, the Chiefs misplaced 4 of their subsequent six video games to fall to 9-6, and other people have been questioning what was mistaken.
Kansas Metropolis completed 11-6 and beat the Miami Dolphins within the wild-card spherical when the temperature was minus-4 (seems like minus-27) at kickoff. Then it received street video games in opposition to the Buffalo Payments and Baltimore Ravens earlier than notching an additional time victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
So after ‘what’s mistaken with the Chiefs?’ was the massive late December query, these guys rallied to win the entire darn factor.
That makes it tough to evaluate the present Chiefs. They’re taking part in numerous shut video games and in addition taking part in all the way down to the competitors.
However solely the highly effective Buffalo Payments have crushed them.
As for the Raiders (2-10), they misplaced their eighth straight sport since beating the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 29.
Las Vegas has misplaced 5 video games by double digits throughout the stretch, and the one place the place Friday’s loss helps is that it improves the possibilities of gaining the No. 1 general choose within the 2025 NFL Draft.
Quarterback Aidan O’Connell was again after breaking his proper (throwing) thumb in Week 7 in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams. He fared effectively by throwing for 2 touchdowns and a career-high 340 yards.
With Gardner Minshew (collarbone) performed for the season, the Raiders want to review O’Connell the remainder of the marketing campaign to allow them to make this resolution: Is he our quarterback of the longer term, or do we have to discover one?
There are actually issues to love about O’Connell. When the Raiders have been down 13 factors, this sport may have gotten away quick. However O’Connell picked up his play and made some big-time throws.
Rookie tight finish Brock Bowers caught 10 passes for 140 yards and he’s a particular future star.
However wanting on the whole image, it is a depressing season for Las Vegas. The Raiders even misplaced at residence by 14 factors to the Panthers.
You must marvel if coach Antonio Pierce will preserve his job. He did a great job final season by going 5-4 after taking on, however there is not a lot good to dig up this time round.
Maybe he deserves a second full season out of equity, however you understand what can occur when holding a coach out of charity? One other double-digit loss season.
On Friday, that was a sport the Raiders have been in place to win. Then snap—it wasn’t.