The Kansas City Chiefs have actually made a practice of winning video games in the most unlikely of methods.
The method they beat the Raiders on Friday still had Patrick Mahomes and co shaking their heads in shock.
The two-time MVP seen from the sideline as Las Vegas drove within series of a winning basket with 15 seconds left, just to mishandle the breeze on its last offending play, permitting the Chiefs to get away with a 19-17 success that likewise protected their 10th successive playoff berth– the second-longest streak in NFL history.
“Obviously a huge drop in a huge minute that got us the win,” Mahomes stated.
The Raiders (2-10) had actually taken control of at their own eight-yard line with simply under 2 minutes to go, and quarterback Aidan O’Connell rapidly moved them throughout midfield, ultimately surging the ball at the Kansas City 32 to stop the clock.
Instead of pursue the winning basket– Daniel Carlson had actually missed out on 3 from 50-plus– the Raiders lined up to run a play, wanting to acquire a couple of lawns with a toss to the sideline before time ended. Amidst the holler of Arrowhead Stadium, center Andre James snapped the ball when O’Connell wasn’t anticipating it, and it bounced off the QB’s shoulder. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton caught it, and the healing stood when a flag on the play ended up being an unlawful shift by the Raiders.
“I in fact didn’t view,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce stated of the fateful play. “That last play there was a lot going on, from the officiating to the flags to the ball being snapped.”
Mahomes ended up with 306 backyards passing and a goal, and fill-in kicker Matt Wright made 4 basket for the two-time safeguarding Super Bowl champ Chiefs (11-1), who won their NFL record-extending 14th successive one-possession video game.
Like a lot of them, consisting of recently’s last-second win over Carolina, the Chiefs appeared to be in no state of mind to commemorate.
“I indicate, we simply hold ourselves to such a high requirement. We do not seem like we’re playing our finest football,” Mahomes stated. “We need to discover a method to develop to play terrific (as) a complete, whole group. It’s amazing that we’re discovering methods to get wins. That’s what you’re choosing. Our objective is to get to the Super Bowl.”
The Raiders had a possibility to take the lead previously in the 4th quarter, too, when O’Connell drove them throughout midfield. The Chiefs required 3 incompletions– George Karlaftis and Justin Reid batted down 2– to bring up 4th down.
Carlson headed onto the field, however his 58-yard shot with 2:21 staying never ever came up to the uprights.
O’Connell completed with 340 lawns passing and 2 goals for the Raiders, who have actually lost 8 of 9 to their bitter AFC West competitors. Brock Bowers had 10 catches for 140 backyards and among ball games.
“These guys fought up until the very end, up until the clock struck no,” Pierce stated. “They thought we were going to win and combated their (butts) off to the very end. All stages added to assist us get in that position, however Aiden did hell of a task. He remained in the pocket, made big-time tosses for us, pressed the ball down the field. The numbers state what they’re going to state. I’m happy of my group, our group. I’m happy of the battle. We lost yet once again versus the world champs. Two times now.”
The unlucky Raiders had the ability to spend time thanks to the exact same issues that have actually pestered the Chiefs much of the season: Their offending deals with were not able to provide Mahomes time to toss, their secondary kept breaking down and they devoted a lot of charges– 3 on one offending ownership alone.
Mahomes was under severe pressure when he discovered Justin Watson from 6 backyards out late in the very first half. The pass not just provided the Chiefs a 10-3 lead however sent out the two-time MVP past Len Dawson with his franchise-record 328th TD toss.
O’Con