The Chiefs rallied from an early 17-0 deficit, overcame a controversial roughing the passer penalty and held off the Raiders 30-29 on Monday Night Football.
It was the Chiefs’ fourth consecutive victory over the Raiders.
Kansas City moved to 4-1, and Las Vegas fell to 1-4.
The back-and-forth game was one of the most entertaining of the season as the teams combined for 746 yards. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce scored a career-best four touchdowns, while Raiders running back Josh Jacobs ran for a career-high 154 yards and Raiders receiver Davante Adams caught touchdown passes of 58 and 48 yards.
The Chiefs took their first lead with 3:20 remaining in the third quarter on Kelce’s third touchdown and never relinquished it.
The Raiders had a chance to tie with 4:27 left in the fourth quarter after Derek Carr threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Adams, who beat Bryan Cook and Jaylen Watson. Josh McDaniels, though, chose to go for two, and Jacobs was stopped just short of the goal line to keep the Chiefs in the lead, 30-29.
The Raiders stopped the Chiefs and forced a punt, getting the ball back with 2:29 left. Analytics said the Chiefs should have gone for it on fourth-and-three at the Las Vegas 46, but they won anyway.
The Raiders gained 39 yards before Adams caught what initially was ruled a 15-yard gain to the Kansas City 39. Replay overturned it with Adams failing to get his left foot down after securing the ball. That set up a fourth-and-one at the Las Vegas 46, and Carr’s pass fell incomplete after Adams and Hunter Renfrow collided.
The game was not without controversy.
In the first half, Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones sacked Carr on third-and-eight at the Las Vegas 46 with 1:07 remaining in the half. Jones knocked the ball loose and pulled it in as he was going down. He braced his fall with his left hand, keeping his entire body weight off Carr but was flagged for roughing anyway. The Raiders ended up with a field goal out of the drive.
The Chiefs made the most of their second chance in the second half. The Raiders stopped Kansas City and Matthew Wright missed a 37-yard field goal, but Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce was called for defensive holding on the field goal attempt. It gave the Chiefs an automatic first down, extending the drive, and Kelce scored his fourth touchdown on a 1-yard reception.
Kelce’s other three scores covered 1, 4 and 8 yards.
Patrick Mahomes completed 29 of 43 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns, and Carr was 19-of-30 for 241 yards and two touchdowns.
