Final Score: LV 40 KC 32 [W] (3-2)
They did it. They absolutely did it! Compelling performance from the Raiders today just a couple of minutes ago. Going on the road at Kansas City to face the Chiefs at a raucous Arrowhead hasn't been kind to them the last couple of years. But today, that nightmare ended as the Raiders beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium 40-32. Derek Carr outduels Patrick Mahomes and gets his first win against Kansas City on the road.
I mentioned this in the last recap, this was a "legacy" game for Derek Carr. One of the blackmarks that he had in his career is that he is 0-6 previously at Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs. A lot of those losses came late in the season in cold weather games. This season was his best chance to get a win with the weather being over 80 degrees over there. On the plus side, he got his deep threat Henry Ruggs back and right tackle Trent Brown back. He balled out. I gotta give credit where it's due. He still got ways to go before I can hop back on the Carr train. I want him to regain that 2016 form more than anybody else, which is why I have been harsh on him these past seasons.
But, this is a stepping stone today. 347 passing yards 3 TDs, 1 INT, and two huge QB sneaks on 4th down. This game is an example of what we always wanted out of Carr. We want him to be aggressive, take shots down field, and give your receivers a chance to make a play. Yes, he threw one pick. But how he responded made that turnover forgettable. He was constantly looking to air it out today. A deep ball to Ruggs for 46 yards on the opening drive. Deep ball to Nelson Agholor for a 59 yard TD. Deep ball to Ruggs again for a 72 yard TD to allow the Raiders to retake a 24-21 lead. And another one to Hunter Renfrow for 42 yards on a critical 3rd and 18 in the 4th.
How about Henry Ruggs impact today? He only had two receptions, but the numbers I mentioned, he totaled up to 118 receiving yards today and a TD. The Chiefs defense had to be sick to their stomach after letting him loose that first half. They always face someone similar to Ruggs every day in practice. Does Tyreek Hill ring a bell? The Raiders sure gave them a taste of their own medicine for that. Ruggs' presence absolutely opened a lot of opportunities for the offense.
The first half, it was great to see the Raiders scratch and claw back into this game against Patrick Mahomes and a potent Chiefs offense. The 2nd half was even better because they were an absolute no show until late in the 4th. Kudos to the defense and the running game for showing up in that 2nd half. At some point in that half, the Raiders dominated time of possession: 16 minutes to KC's 4 minutes. The offense did a fantastic job keeping Mahomes off the field and kept pushing on the gas with Josh Jacobs securing two more TDs in the ground game. The defense tightened up that 2nd half. The pressure was getting to Mahomes. He was still elusive, but he can only do much. That entire unit hung around and they eventually got a big play with Jeff Heath's INT that helped set up the Raiders to go up by two scores. Holding the Chiefs offense to just 8 points in the 2nd half is a big win and perhaps Paul Guenther lives to coordinate a defense another week.
This is a monumental win against the defending champs and a great way for the Raiders to head into their Week 6 bye. It was essential to let those Chiefs know that they may be one step ahead in the AFC West, but this Raiders team is on the come up. Raider Nation, we're going to enjoy this win for these next two weeks. We got two weeks to savor this at the expense of Chiefs "King-Dumb." After that, regroup and focus against Tampa Brady and the Bucs on Sunday Night, Week 7. I'll see you guys later.
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