The second quarter of this game featured seven punts in a row. Tied 7-7 with 4:16 to go in the first half, KC started on their own 4. They got the ball out to the 31 and punted, pinning the Raiders on their own 14. Then the Chiefs defense forced a three and out and got a return to the Oakland 42. So those two possessions ended in punts but was a shift in field position of 54 yards for the Chiefs.
With just over a minute to go, Kelce catches the ball and picks up the first down. The Chiefs have two timeouts and he's crossing the 30. I'm thinking "get out of bounds" to preserve the clock. Instead he cuts it back for more yardage. Here's the play. He does pick up a few more yards. But in the process, Woodson rips the ball out, and returns it the other way. A few plays later, Carr to Crabtree from 25 yards out and it's 14-7 Raiders at the half. If Kelce holds on to that ball, it was looking like 10-7 Chiefs conservatively. So that's a 10-point swing on one fumble.
Chiefs get the ball after halftime. They go 80 yards in 6 minutes to tie the game. Kelce had the biggest Chiefs play of the game at that point, a 26-yard catch on 3rd down.
Ensuing drive, the Raiders have a 3rd and 6 on the KC 12. Incomplete. But there's a flag. Roughing the passer for touching his helmet. Two plays later, Raider touchdown. So the Raiders second touchdown happened because of a fumble and the Raiders third touchdown happened because of a dumb penalty. The silver lining: Janikowski hits the extra point off the upright. So it's 20-14 with 2 minutes remaining in the 3rd.
Chiefs go 3 and out.
With 12 minutes to go, the Raiders have the ball at the KC 33. They're up 6 points. They're basically already in field goal range and can make it a two-possession game. I'm feeling pretty low at this point.
And then this happens.
Carr dances in the pocket for 7 seconds (!) but then gets hit and Mauga catches out of the air, returning it 66 yards to the one. Maclin converts a 1-yard screen pass and it's 20-20 pending the extra point. Just like the Kelce fumble earlier, that pick is a 10-point swing. Except...Santos doesn't get a chance to kick the extra point. It's a bad snap/hold and we're still tied at 20. I can't believe of all the times to not get the extra point, it's when it would take the lead.
So here we go again. 20-20 and the Raiders have the ball at midfield.
And then Peters joins the pick party.
He returns it down to the Oakland 13. It's his 5th pick of his rookie season. The Chiefs as a team only had 6 last year.
Maclin gets another screen pass for a TD and it's 26-20. And I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it, but Santos misses the extra point. So after all of that, two incredible interception returns to set up scores...it's only a 6-point lead with 7 minutes to go.
Here we go again. The Raiders drive down the field to the KC 24. Chiefs come up with a sack and then an incomplete pass on 3rd down brings up a field goal attempt. Janikowksi hits the upright again.
The Chiefs just need a field goal to make it a two score game with under 5 to play, but they can't get it. They punt it away.
Raiders last chance. 4 minutes and a touchdown will win it.
But instead it's Tyson Branch with the pick six to seal the game.
So the Raiders 2nd and 3rd touchdowns were because of Chiefs preventable mistakes (fumble and penalty). But the Chiefs 3rd, 4th and 5th touchdowns were because of Raiders preventable mistakes (interceptions).
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From 1-5 to 7-5. Joined by the Jets and the Steelers. One of these teams isn't making it.
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But it's not really enough to just make it in. And here's why:
You take a look at those top 3 teams all 10-2. If you're the 6th seed, you're getting one of those teams in their house. And then you look at the AFC South. The 6-6 Colts or the 6-6 Texans. Yes, please.
How tasty is that 5th seed? If the Chiefs win out, it's theirs. Based on how good the Steelers look, I wouldn't put it past them to win out. But if the Steelers lose a game, that's the cushion the Chiefs have. At this point, the plan is simple. Keep winning and don't stop once you make the playoffs.
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