Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs used a 28-point second quarter to defeat the Oakland Raiders on Sunday afternoon, 28-10. With the win, the Chiefs finished with an overall winning record against the Raiders in Oakland (the team moves to Las Vegas next season).
Game Stats
The Chiefs also set a league record for most consecutive games scoring at least 26 points, moving that mark to twenty. A Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs team has never not scored 26+ points. Mahomes also now has eight career games with at least four passing touchdowns, tied with Joe Montana. Mahomes has played in 19 games, compared to 192 for Montana.
The Chiefs offense was stymied by the Raiders’ defense in the first quarter while the Raiders took a 10-0 lead. Then the second quarter started. Mahomes opened the quarter with a 44-yard strike to Demarcus Robinson to put the Chiefs on the board. He then hit Mecole Hardman on 3rd and 20 for a 42-yard touchdown to make it 14-10. With 1:41 to play in the quarter, Mahomes found Travis Kelce for 27 yards for his third touchdown. He closed out the half with a 39-yard lazer to Robinson with :40 seconds left in the half for the 28-10 lead.
Mahomes finished the second quarter 12-for-17 with 278 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. He finished the day 30-of-44 for 443 yards and the four scores.
Here are our five biggest takeaways from Sunday’s matchup with the Raiders.
1. Nobody makes adjustments like Andy Reid/Patrick Mahomes
The Raiders came out with a great game plan and plenty of emotional support on Sunday. Their offense ran quick hitting plays and the defense seemed to confuse the Chiefs. It led to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
Then, Kansas City’s greatest brain trust, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, made a couple of adjustments and EXPLODED for 28 unanswered points in the second quarter. Reid is an offensive genius and Mahomes is truly special. The Raiders had no chance.
2. The Chiefs defense is better. Seriously.
It did not look good early for the Kansas City defense, but after the Raiders scored on their first two possessions they did not score again. The Raiders scored 10 points and gained 139 yards on their first two possessions. After that, they gained just 168 yards of total offense.
Kansas City’s defense dominated the Raiders in the final 48 minutes of Sunday’s game, allowing just 168 yards and forcing two turnovers. The Chiefs also sacked Derek Carr three times after he was not sacked once in week one.
3. Demarcus Robinson: Next man up
There was cause for concern with Tyreek Hill out due to injury, but Demarcus Robinson stepped up in a big way on Sunday. Robinson hauled in six receptions for a team-high 172 yards and two scores in the win.
Robinson is well-liked by the Chiefs brass, but caught just 22 passes for 288 yards and four scores a season ago. Look for him to play a big role in the offense while Hill is on the sidelines.
4. Eric Fisher’s absence was a big issue
A lot of Chiefs fans are quick to talk down on Eric Fisher, but his absence on Sunday clearly hurt the rushing attack. The Chiefs gained just 31 yards on the ground and there were almost no running lanes to speak of.
The offensive line did a great job of protecting Mahomes on Sunday, don’t get us wrong. But LeSean McCoy just could not find anywhere to run. Credit needs to go to the Raiders defensive line, as well as Tyreek Hill, who’s movement pre-snap does a great job of confusing defenses on run plays.
5. Goodbye, Oakland.
Sunday was a bittersweet day for the Chiefs and the fan base as the two teams played for the final time in the Oakland Coliseum. While the stadium is a mess, there have been a lot of historic moments in the Chiefs-Raiders rivalry in Oakland and it is truly sad to see the tradition end.
It will be interesting to see if the Chiefs-Raiders rivalry stays as relevant with the move to Las Vegas. Either way, it’s a great feeling to have the Chiefs leave Oakland with an all-time winning record there.
Next Up: Baltimore (2-0) at Kansas City (2-0). Chiefs Home Opener
The Chiefs will return to Arrowhead Stadium for the first time at noon next Sunday when they play host to the Baltimore Ravens. Both teams will enter with an undefeated record and both quarterbacks, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes, each have seven touchdowns apiece.
Don’t miss your chance to see the Chiefs and Ravens on September 22nd at 12 p.m. inside Arrowhead Stadium. Tickets For Less has you covered with the best Chiefs tickets at the best prices for all Chiefs home games in 2019. Come be a part of history. Memories for life at www.ticketsforless.com
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