2 weeks Ago By Kansas City Star
Late in the third quarter here at Allegiant Stadium, the Chiefs and Raiders gathered near the line of scrimmage, mostly a who’s-going-to-throw-the-first-shove confrontation that stayed verbal. And you couldn’t help but wonder: The Raiders must be quite tired of having the Chiefs as guests in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won in Sin City for the third time in 11 months, to improve to 7-0 for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes Era.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid has won as many games in the Raiders’ venue (six) as any coach. Here are five observations from immediately after the latest one: 1. A remarkable goal-line stand The best series of this Chiefs season? It came from the defense.
At the most opportune time. An interception — on a deflected pass — put the Raiders at the Chiefs’ 3-yard line, a chance to take the lead late in the third quarter. Then came Drue Tranquill.
And Nick Bolton. And Tershawn Wharton. And George Karlaftis.
The Chiefs’ defense, one of the best units in football over the last month-plus — or, heck, 14 months — not only didn’t concede any ground, they gained some. The held the Raiders to minus-5 yards over four plays, a goal-line stand that turned the game. Symbolic.
After allowing 125 yards on the initial two drives, the Chiefs gave up only 23 yards over six yards sandwiched over the second and third quarters. 2. Patrick Mahomes on fire We saw something we’ve frankly yet to see this season.
Patrick Mahomes at his best. For a half. The opening half in Vegas is as smooth an operation as the Chiefs’ passing offense has enjoyed in 2024.
Mahomes completed 19 of 24 first-half throws for 192 yards and a touchdown in the first two quarters. He found his favorite target, Travis Kelce, seven times in the half. He got DeAndre Hopkins involved.
He made plays off-script. This is perhaps the most telling statistic: The Chiefs passed the ball on first down eight times in the opening half. On all eight occasions, they eventually turned that series into another first down or a touchdown.
They’ve been a run-first team on first downs this season — something that’s never been true in with Mahomes — but their most effective work in moving the football was familiar to the initial six years of it. It got bumpy in the third quarter — though Mahomes’ interception was the result of bad fortune, on a deflection — but he righted the ship in the fourth. 3.
The DeAndre Hopkins debut DeAndre Hopkins spent the first two snaps of the game standing on the sideline. He spent the next as the primary target. Mahomes found Hopkins on the Chiefs’ initial third down attempt, a 13-yard gain that moved the marker.
Mahomes never took his eyes off Hopkins after receiving the snap. It was a relatively quiet outing thereafter— with an exception. Hopkins made a hands-only catch while running toward the sideline, and it’s simply not a play we routinely see from Chiefs wide receivers.
And that’s precisely how he made it look — routine. Hopkins played sparingly — less than half the offensive snaps — but that will change in the coming weeks. 4.
The tight ends Both of them. At last, Travis Kelce found the end zone this season, a five-yard reception just before halftime. But more encouraging? He was the focal point of the game plan against a team that struggles to cover tight ends— and he delivered on it.
Kelce caught 10 of his 12 targets for 90 yards and the score. A vintage Kelce game. The rookie looks pretty good too — the one on the other sideline.
The Chiefs have tormented teams with their tight end for more than a decade, and the Raiders sure look poised to provide some uncomfortable matchups for the next one. Brock Bowers, the 13th overall pick in the spring, is as advertised. The Chiefs tried defending him with safeties, linebackers and even cornerbacks.
He still caught every pass thrown his way — five of them for 58 yards. 5. Xavier Worthy progression It’s not been a kind two weeks for Xavier Worthy — and that’s even with recognizing his late touchdown Sunday.
His speed continues to flash in games. His hands do not. Worthy twice had the opportunity to pull down key third-down catches and dropped them both.
The knock on him coming out of the draft was how his size might hold up, an observation that didn’t require a scout’s eye. But he has to be stronger at the point of the catch. The Worthy evaluation is not just anecdotal.
The Chiefs have targeted him 16 times in the last two weeks and generated only 56 yards from it. His touchdown evidenced why the Chiefs continue to target him — he is good in space — but he has to be better in traffic..
