(AP) – The Chiefs recovered a botched play while the Las Vegas Raiders were within range of a go-ahead field goal with 15 seconds left on Friday, preserving a 19-17 victory for Kansas City and giving the franchise its 10th consecutive win got into the play-offs.
The Raiders (2-10) had taken control at their own 8-yard line with just under two minutes remaining, and Aidan O’Connell quickly moved them to midfield and eventually tipped the ball to the Kansas City 32 to set the stop the clock.
Instead of attempting a potential game-winning field goal — Daniel Carlson had already missed three among the over-50s — the Raiders lined up to make a play. Andre James snapped the ball when O’Connell wasn’t expecting it and it bounced off the quarterback’s shoulder. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton jumped on the ball, and the recovery stood when a flag on the play turned out to be an illegal shift by the Raiders.
It was the fourteenth consecutive game that was decided with one possession and that Kansas City (11-1) won.
The Raiders had a chance earlier in the fourth quarter and O’Connell drove them across midfield in similar fashion. But the Chiefs forced three straight incomplete passes — George Karlaftis and Justin Reid knocked down two — to move into fourth place. Carlson headed up the field, but his 58-yard attempt with 2:21 never got near the uprights.
Patrick Mahomes had 306 yards passing and a touchdown for Kansas City, while substitute Matt Wright made four field goals.
O’Connell finished with 340 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Raiders, who lost eight of nine to their bitter AFC West rivals. Brock Bowers had 10 catches for 140 yards and one of the scores.
The hapless Raiders were able to hang around thanks to the same problems that have plagued the Chiefs for much of the season: their offensive tackles didn’t give Mahomes time to throw, their secondary kept breaking down and they committed too many penalties – three to one. only attacking possession.
In fact, Mahomes was under extreme pressure when he found Justin Watson from six yards out late in the first half. The pass not only gave the Chiefs a 10-3 lead, but sent the two-time MVP past Len Dawson with his franchise-record 328th TD throw.
O’Connell, who was sent back onto the field this week when Gardner Minshew went on injured reserve with a broken collarbone, got off to a slow start after missing a month with a broken thumb. But as the Chiefs continued to make field goals, the second-year pro found his rhythm for the Raiders and eventually threw a pair of TD passes to give Las Vegas the lead.
The first was for Bowers, already one of the most productive rookies in NFL history, with 1:40 left in the third quarter. Then, after the Chiefs went three-and-out, O’Connell hit Tre Tucker on a 58-yard strike on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs answered with Wright’s fourth field goal to take a 19-17 lead with about 10 minutes left.
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