LAS VEGAS — Patrick Mahomes didn't make many mistakes Sunday, but one of his few errors could've cost the Chiefs the game.
He needed his defence to come to the rescue — and it did.
Kansas City kept the Raiders off the scoreboard even after facing first-and-goal at the 3-yard line, changing the tenor of the game and allowing the two-time defending champion Chiefs to continue their domination in Las Vegas with a 27-20 victory to remain undefeated.
That sequence occurred late in the third quarter with the Chiefs clinging to a 17-13 lead.
“It's easy in that situation to let them kind of get into the end zone because it's not really on them," Mahomes said. “It was on the offence that put them in position, but they stood their ground. The defence made a big-time stop and we were able to carry momentum into a win.”
The Chiefs (7-0) extended their winning streak to 13 games, including the playoffs. Their last loss was at home to Las Vegas, but the Chiefs are 5-0 against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium and 6-0 there including the Super Bowl in February.
Las Vegas (2-6) has lost four consecutive games, but this was the first time the Raiders had scored at least 20 points since a 20-16 victory over Cleveland on Sept. 29.
Mahomes passed for 262 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 30,000 yards. He accomplished that in his 103rd game; Matthew Stafford had hit that mark at 109.
Mahomes' top target was Travis Kelce, who had 10 catches for 90 yards, both season highs. He last caught double-digit passes on Oct. 22, 2023, and this was the highest yardage output since Nov. 26.
Kelce also had a touchdown catch, his 75th to pass Jason Witten for fifth on the NFL tight end list. Kelce moved within two of breaking Tony Gonzalez's team record.
Gardner Minshew completed 24 of 30 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns for Las Vegas, but was sacked five times. Jakobi Meyers, who missed the two previous games because of an ankle injury, caught six passes for 52 yards and a TD.
Minshew had the burden of carrying an offence that had virtually no running game, finishing with 33 yards, averaging 1.6 per carry. The Chiefs entered the game with the NFL's fourth-best run defence, allowing 90.5 yards per game.
“For us, being able to stop the run is the primary goal every single week,” Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis said. “We make them one-dimensional, there's where we want to be.”
Las Vegas also had trouble getting the Chiefs off the field, allowing KC to convert on 12 of 16 third downs. That ties the Commanders for the second-highest rate in a game this season, behind the Bengals who converted 76.9 per cent on Sunday against the Eagles.
The Raiders, however, made the champs work for this victory. But Las Vegas failed to take advantage of key opportunities
The Raiders had the ball and 1:57 left on the clock at the end of the first half but went with two running plays before an incomplete pass on third down. Kansas City got the ball back and went 56 yards on nine plays for Harrison Butker's 42-yard field goal with four seconds left that made it 17-10.
Then there was that series in the third quarter.
Las Vegas trailed by four points when safety Tre'von Moehrig intercepted Mahomes' pass to give the Raiders the ball at the Chiefs 3. Running plays by Alexander Mattison resulted in plays of 2 yards, a no gain and a loss of 2 before Minshew was sacked on fourth down.
“(We’re) trying to establish some physicality with our guys up front,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “Right there at the 3-yard line, you've got to pound it in. Turnover, sudden change. Should be able to punch that ball in.”
The Chiefs then went 87 yards on 19 carries, taking 9:43 off the clock, to set up another field goal from Butker, this one from 24 yards early in the fourth quarter for a seven-point lead.
A strip-sack of Minshew set up the final Chiefs' touchdown with 4:59 left to all but seal the victory, though the Raiders scored a TD just before the 2-minute warning to create some drama. Kansas City then recovered the onside kick.
D-Hop makes debut
Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was targeted three times and finished with two catches for 29 yards.
The Chiefs traded a conditional fifth-round pick to the Titans last week for Hopkins, a former All-Pro brought to help a unit decimated by injuries.
“He wanted to be in there, which is a positive thing,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “He'll get more chances the next game.”
Injuries
Chiefs: S Nazeeh Johnson (concussion) went out in the first half. TE Jody Fortson (knee) also was injured.
Raiders: C Andre James (ankle) was injured in the second half.
Up next
Chiefs: Host Tampa Bay on Monday, Nov. 4.
Raiders: At Cincinnati on Sunday.
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