LAS VEGAS — 307 days after the Raiders handed the Chiefs their last loss to date, Patrick Mahomes and the gang were able to remain unbeaten in 2024 with a 27-20 victory over the Silver and Black at Allegiant Stadium.
The Raiders and Chiefs couldn’t be in two more different places organizationally. Through three quarters, it felt like the age-old adage of being able to “throw the records out” was once again ringing true between the two teams. By the midway point of the fourth, it was apparent which franchise is the two-time defending champions and which one is headed for a top 5 pick.
The Chiefs came out of the gates swinging, as Mahomes found newly acquired receiver Deandre Hopkins for his first completion of the game on the way to a five-minute, 70 yard scoring drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Kareem Hunt.
The Raiders, shockingly, answered with just as much conviction. Gardner Minshew completed his first eight passes, first capping off the Raiders’ own 70 yard scoring drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers. Minshew then led a 10-play, 50 yard drive that ended in a Daniel Carlson field goal that gave the Raiders a 10-7 lead.
“Yeah, he got off to a hot start,” coach Antonio Pierce said. “I thought he made some good throws, good timing. Had a little rhythm. Everybody is fighting. I thought these guys were competitive. All I can ask them to do is fight for four quarters, and we did that.”
Minshew completed 24 of his 30 passes and the Raiders didn’t even lose the turnover battle, for once.
The problem was, those completions only went for a total of 209 yards and thus the season-long issue of the Raiders leaving their best scoring opportunities on the field once again reared its head down the stretch.
Minshew’s one turnover happened at an untimely moment for the Raiders, however.
After Mahomes found Travis Kelce for a 10-yard go ahead touchdown that put the Chiefs back ahead 14-10, Minshew lost a fumble on a QB scramble and the Chiefs were able to capitalize with a Harrison Butker field goal before the half that gave them a 17-10 advantage at the break.
A Daniel Carlson field near the midway point of the third quarter gave the Raiders some momentum and cut the deficit to 17-13.
It appeared things flipped completely when Trevon Moehrig intercepted a Mahomes pass that was deflected at the line of scrimmage and returned it inside the 5-yard line.
That’s, of course, when the Raiders decided to Raider. Luke Getsy made yet another appalling scripting decision, calling three unimaginative run plays up the middle that were all stuffed with minimal effort.
The Raiders then went for it on fourth down, but Gardner Minshew was sacked for a loss and sentimentally, the game was as good as over.
“That's obviously something we have to be better at,” Minshew said. “We've been getting down there a few times. The defense put us down there a few times. We have to be able to get it in the end zone, point-blank, period, if we want to be the team we have to be.”
The Chiefs scored 10 straight points to start the fourth, first on a Harrison Butker field goal and then on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Worthy to take a 27-13 lead.
The Raiders got one back in garbage time and it was a very important score for some as Minshew found DJ Turner for an 11-yard touchdown to set the final score at 27-20, within the 8 and a half points the Raiders were getting on the betting line.
