This team put up a hell of a fight in Kansas City. They nearly pulled off a repeat performance to their Christmas Day upset last season. And very well should have done it if not for a botched snap on the final play.
Both teams started slowly, with the score just 10-3 at the half. Then the Chiefs pulled away, adding a couple field goals to make it a 16-3 game. But just when you thought the game was out of reach, the Raiders went on two touchdown drives to take the lead.
In the end they had the chance to win it on a field goal, but watched it slip through their fingers.
Ballers
TE Brock Bowers
Bowers just keeps upping his game. He put up double digit catches again, this time for a career-high 140 yards and a touchdown. He even had a ridiculous one-handed grab in the game. And on the final drive into field goal range, he made a 25-yard catch to midfield.
DE Maxx Crosby, DE K’Lavon Chaisson
Last week it was Tyree Wilson sharing the spotlight with Crosby. This week it’s Chaisson who routinely got into the backfield. Chaisson got to Patrick Mahomes three times, for 1.5 sacks and a pressure that led to Crosby’s sack. In total, Crosby had four QB hits and two tackles for loss. While Chaisson had a tackle for loss and three QB hits.
WR Jakobi Meyers
Meyers had two huge catches of 43 yards and 24 yards to lead out the Raiders first scoring drive. He added a ten-yard catch on the final drive that put the Raiders at the KC 40-yard-line. He finished with six catches for 97 yards.
RB Ameer Abdullah
His 69-yard kick return in the third quarter came just in time. The Raiders were down 16-3 at the time and it put the team in business at the KC 26-yard line. They would score their first TD two plays later to make it a one-score game. He would add two catches for 14 yards on the final drive, including the seven-yard catch to put the team in field goal range for what would have been the game winner.
QB Aidan O’Connell
If the Raiders could have closed the deal, O’Connell may have been Top Baller for this game. He threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, led the Raiders from down 16-3 to the lead early in the fourth quarter, and then down the field for what would have been the game-winner. But his clapping confused the line on the final play, causing the ball to be snapped early and costing them the win. He was superb other than that. Hence him getting credit for it despite his big mistake at the end.
Honorable Mention
DT Adam Butler — Second on the team in tackles (6) and had a half sack and a tackle for loss.
WR Tre Tucker — got open deep up the left sideline for the go ahead touchdown to open the fourth quarter.
RB Sincere McCormick — Had 12 carries for 64 yards (5.3 yards per carry)
