A Pivotal Week 4 Chiefs-Raiders Game

It's been a while since the Raiders have been good. It was fun to have a 3-0 Chiefs visiting the 3-0 Raiders. 

This game was back and forth. 

Raiders up 13-10 at the half and get the ball first in the 3rd quarter. Drive down, kick and make a field goal on 4th and 7 from the KC 23. 

But there's a Chiefs penalty. If they take it's 4th and 2 from the 18. Or they could decline it, keep the made field goal, be up 16-10. 

Notably this is a different situation than it's 4th and 2, should you kick or go. In this siutation, the 3 points is a given. No chance of a miss. 

Typically when I hear teams taking points of the board, it's because you got a first down via penalty. But imagine a hypotehtical new 1st and 10 from the KC 31. That's still potentially a gray area decision. On the one hand you keep the drive alive with a chance for a touchdown. On the other hand, you still might end up kicking a field goal later. You also could risk getting a sack and getting pushed out of fg range. I think most teams take the 1st down, but it's not guaranteed to be better than 3pts on the board. 

Now this siutation was nearer the end zone, but a 4th and 2. I don't think it makes sense to trade 3pts for 4th and 2. If it's 4th and 1 and you have the Hurts-Kelce Eagles tush push, fine. But 4th and 2 to dial up a pass play?

I understand the logic that you need to score touchdowns to beat Mahomes. But there's so much time left. Even if KC scores to go up 17-16, you're only down 1 with the ball. 

Anyways, they don't get it. 

About a quarter later, Kenneth Walker runs for 76 yards leading to a Chiefs touchdown. Raiders respond with a fg, stop, and another field goal. 

They're now up 19-17. 

On a huge 3rd and 4, Mahomes launches a pass that travels 40 yards in the air.

Thornton catches and proves he is our new WR1 thriving in this role and it's gone. He's out 3-4 months, getting injured on the very play that swings the game.

On back to back plays from scrimmage Ken Walker runs for touchdowns. Not just back to back plays for the Chiefs. For either team. Raiders fumble on the kickoff. 

At 3:33 it seemed like the Raiders had the upper hand. At 3:01 the Chiefs were up 11 points.

At the end the Raiders benefit from a bad call by the refs and it looks like they might steal the game, but before we can process what happened, the Chiefs D steps up and seals the game with a pick.