Chiefs Sweep Raiders, Take Over 1st in AFC West
The first half was a tale of two quarters for the Kansas City Chiefs. After winning the toss the Chiefs decided to defer and receive the ball after half time. The Oakland Raiders drive stalled out and when they were forced to punt the Chiefs punt returner, Tyreek Hill, fumbled the punt and the Raiders recovered. Oakland’s ensuing drive stalled out again but they converted a Field Goal to lead 3-to-0.
The Chiefs first drive ended when head coach Andy Reid decided to go for it on 4th down but failed. He could have gone for a field goal but it looks like he’s going to risk it all in this game. The rest of the first quarter for the Chiefs offense was a work in futility. The end of the quarter saw them drive deep into the Raiders territory and set up the touchdown that came at the beginning of the second quarter.
The second quarter the Chiefs scored 21 straight points. Quarterback Alex Smith was spreading the ball around to all of his targets. While the running game was offering a good balance, it also kept the Raiders honest. A deep ball to Tyreek Hill for a TD started the scoring. The Chiefs followed that up with a nice drive culminating in a goal line touchdown by RB Charcandrick West.
The Chiefs defense got in a rhythm and seemed to be stopping the Raiders drives but what appeared to break this game wide open was a Tyreek Hill punt return for a touchdown taking the score to 21-to-3 Chiefs. However, the Raiders stayed in the game by putting together their own long drive that resulted in a touchdown right before the half. The Chiefs thought, no problem, we get the ball first in the second half so we’ll continue our scoring ways then. Boy, were they wrong.
The Chiefs came out in the second half and Alex Smith immediately proceeded to throw an interception. However, the defense came through as they’ve done so many times this year but the Raiders get a field goal out of it, 21-to-13 Chiefs. On the very next play for the Chiefs, Khalil Mack of the Raiders beats the Chiefs LT Eric Fisher and strips the ball out of Ale Smith’s throwing arm and the Raiders recover. The Chiefs defense does their dirty work again and when the Raiders try and kick a field goal, Holder (and punter) Marquette King bobbles a bad snap and tries to run the ball but Phillip Gaines tracks him down and the Chiefs take over on downs.
The rest of the second half was more failed short drives for both teams. The Raiders continued to make their usual untimely mistakes and were penalized accordingly.
With four and a half minutes to go in the game, the Raiders sustained a long drive to the Chiefs 14-yard line. On a 4th and one yard to go, their RG flinched and was called for another Raiders penalty. On the next play, a 4th-and-6, Terrance Mitchell battered away a Derek Carr pass and the Chiefs took over on downs. Next, Spencer Ware rushed for 8 yards and one yard to set up a 3rd-and-1. Ware followed that up with an 18-inch plunge for a first down and gave the Chiefs the ability to run out the clock.
As with most of the Chiefs games this year, it wasn’t pretty… and it wasn’t a blowout win but… it was another win. It was more than just another win though, it represents a sweep of division foe — and (former) AFC West leader — and it was a win over the AFC’s number one seed making the Chiefs potentially the number one seed if the Baltimore Ravens can sneak into Foxboro on Monday night and pull out a win over the depleted New England offense. The Pats will be playing without Superhuman TE Rob Gronkowski and, perhaps more importantly, WR Danny Amendola (while the N.E. expect Amendola back for the playoffs, Gronk appears to be done for the year).
For now, the Kansas City Chiefs get 9 days to prepare for the Tennessee Titans in the comfy (if you can call it that) confines of Arrowhead Stadium. What do you think Chiefs fans?
