Photo credit: @JustNowSports
By Jeremy Kahn
OAKLAND — Whenever the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs meet on the football field, you can throw out the scorebook.
Patrick Mahomes joined some elite company, as he threw four touchdowns, becoming third quarterback in NFL history to throw 40 touchdown passes in 12 games and the Chiefs defeated the Raiders 40-33 before a crowd of 54,255 at the Coliseum.
The second-year quarterback out of Texas Tech joins Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks in this elite club.
Mahomes went 23-of-38 for 295 and four touchdowns, and also led the Chiefs in rushing with 52 yards rushing on nine carries.
It was just another day at the office for Travis Kelce, as he caught 12 passes for 168 yards and three of Mahomes four touchdowns.
Derek Carr threw three touchdowns, as he threw for 285 yards, as he went 29-for-38 on the afternoon.
Jalen Richard led the Raiders in rushing, as he gained 95 yards on just six carries.
Jordy Nelson led the Raiders in catches with 10, and gained 97 yards, while Jared Cook caught seven passes for 100 yards.
With the victory, the Chiefs are now 10-2, while with the loss, the Raiders fall to 2-10 on the season.
This was first game for the Chiefs without the services of their explosive running back Kareem Hunt, who was released from the team on Friday after a video showed Hunt shoved and kicked a woman back in February. TMZ released the nine-month video, and the Chiefs released the running back after he misled the organization about what occurred that night.
Things began well for the Raiders, as they recovered a fumble on the first play of the game, as Mahomes’ pass to Kelce was fumbled, and Nick Nelson recovered the ball at the Raiders 44-yard line.
Unfortunately, the Raiders could not take advantage of the early turnover and went three-and-out on their first series.
Johnny Townsend did not punt the ball long, as his punt traveled just 22 yards and the Chiefs took over at their own 35-yard line.
Tyreek Hill took the handoff and before you knew it, the speedy wide receiver picked up 33 yards down to the Raiders 32.
On the next play, Nelson, who recovered the Kelce fumble on the Raiders initial series on defense picked up an ill-advised penalty, as he picked up a pass interference penalty that gave the Chiefs the ball at the six-yard line. Arden Key then was caught in the neutral zone, and the Chiefs moved up an additional three yards.
Mahomes found Kelce for a three-yard touchdown pass to get the Chiefs on the board.
Just three plays into the Raiders next series, it abruptly came to an end, as Doug Martin fumbled the ball and Justin Houston recovered the loose ball at the Raiders 49-yard line.
The Chiefs took over, and got down to the Raiders 10-yard line, as the drive stalled there and Harrison Butker gave the Chiefs a 10-0 lead, as he hit a 29-yard field goal.
Spencer Ware, who was Hunt’s backup and will now get more of the first team reps in practice came up with the big play on the driver, as he scampered 17 yards thru the Raiders defense.
Butker stretched the Chiefs lead up to 13-0 in the second quarter, as he hit a 50-yard field goal and it looked like the rout was on, but that was not the case.
The Raiders consumed the ball for the nearly six minutes, and it ended with a Martin touchdown run from one yard out to get the Raiders on the board.
Mahomes then led the Chiefs on a quick drive that saw him connect with Kelce for the second time in the half, and the Chiefs went into the halftime break with a 19-7 lead after Butker’s extra point was blocked by Arden Key.
The Mahomes to Kelce touchdown pass was setup by Demarcus Robinson, who hauled in a Mahomes pass for 38 yards and was able to get out of bounds with 12 seconds remaining.
Daniel Carlson ended the Raiders first drive of the second half, as he nailed a 50-yard field goal to pull the Raiders within nine.
Like a game of pinball, the Chiefs marched right down the field and ended up scoring on a one-yard run to give the Chiefs a 26-10 lead.
Barely two minutes later, the Raiders cut the Chiefs down to 10, as Carr found Cook for a 24-yard touchdown pass; however, the two-point conversion run attempt by Martin came up short.
Mahomes threw his third touchdown pass of the afternoon, as he found Demetrius Harris from 13 yards out with just four seconds remaining in the third quarter. It was the second quarter in a row that the Chiefs scored in the end of the quarter.
Lee Smith got in on the act on the Raiders first series after Harris touchdown catch that gave the Chiefs a 17-point lead, as he caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Carr that cut the Chiefs lead down to 10.
After a quick three-and-out, the Raiders went right down the field and ended up cutting the Chiefs lead down to three, as Carr found Marcel Ateman for a nine-yard touchdown pass that cut the Chiefs lead down to three.
Unfortunately, the hot hands of Mahomes continued, as he threw his fourth touchdown pass of the afternoon on the Chiefs next series, as Chris Conley snared a two-yard touchdown pass.
Despite trailing by 10, the Raiders would not give up, as they drove down the field and Carlson nailed a 43-yard field goal to get the Raiders within seven; however, his onside kick was recovered by the Chiefs and they kneeled three times to close out the victory.
NOTES: There was a skirmish between Cook and Eric Murray in the second quarter, and both players were assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
UP NEXT: Once again, a division leader will head into the Coliseum, as the AFC North Division leading Pittsburgh Steelers face the Raiders on December 9.
Originally, scheduled for 5:20 pm on NBC, the game was flexed out and will be played at 1:25 pm on FOX.
