Chiefs fend off Raiders’ upset bid after Las Vegas blows potential game-winning field goal chance

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The Kansas City Chiefs are finding weird ways to win this season. Friday was the weirdest way of all.

The Las Vegas Raiders were in field goal range with less than 20 seconds left, and they were trying to get closer. Rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson then snapped to quarterback Aidan O’Connell in shotgun before he was ready, and it hit him in the chest. The Chiefs fell on the ball and after a long conference between the officials, they ruled the Chiefs had recovered the fumble. Game over. Chiefs win 19-17.

After the game, Powers-Johnson took the blame for the blunder, saying it was a miscommunication between he and O’Connell .

Likewise, O’Connell took accountability, saying: “it was completely my fault. I was looking out to right, making sure guys were set and I started clapping. In my head I was thinking signal the ball to get the ball, but when I start clapping it tells Jackson, basically, snap the ball. Jackson did exactly what he should have done and I clapped too early.”

Kansas City is doing just enough to get by, and they seem to find a way to win close games over inferior teams every week. Amazingly, that’s been good enough for a 11-1 record. The Chiefs looked unimpressive yet again on Friday, but as usual they found a way to win. This time it was holding off the Las Vegas Raiders, who are now 2-10.

The Chiefs are now the first team this season to clinch a playoff spot, but their issues are legitimate. Their offensive tackles are struggling badly. The offensive skill-position talent is good but doesn’t have a lot of explosive speed outside of Xavier Worthy, who is an unreliable rookie. The defense this season has been good but short of what it was last season.

And despite all of that, the Chiefs are 11-1. And as we all learned last season, when the games matter most in January, the Chiefs’ issues just seem to fade away once the postseason starts and they’re marching to another Super Bowl. But they shouldn’t be barely beating teams like the Raiders.

Chiefs struggle early

Early on the game seemed to be there for the taking for the Raiders. They just kept blowing opportunities.

The Raiders were able … Read More