Chiefs grind out a win against Raiders to remain undefeated

PARADISE, Nev. — The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 30-27 Sunday, improving to 4-0 as they enter their early bye week.

Let’s dive in.

Turning point: Tyquan Thornton’s 55-yard catch flips the game late

This was the most easily identifiable turning point of the season to date.

With the Chiefs facing third-and-5 in their own territory, down 19-17 amid deafening noise, Patrick Mahomes launched a ball deep down the field to wide receiver Thornton.

Thornton made a 55-yard catch to set up the Chiefs’ go-ahead score. He suffered a nasty ankle injury on the play, and he was carted off.

Running back Kenneth Walker gave the Chiefs a four-point lead, and Jeff Bassa’s forced fumble sealed the win.

The Raiders managed to rally for a touchdown, but their unnerving late charge ended up being a little too late.

Rapid reaction: A slugfest in a playoff-level environment

The story of this game begins with the atmosphere.

Right from the jump, the feel at Allegiant Stadium was that of a playoff game — perhaps even a Super Bowl, with a 50-50 mix of red and black in the stands.

From the first whistle, the Las Vegas front was relentless, and it did not help that starting left guard Kingsley Suamataia was benched because of what the team described as a coach’s decision. The Raiders sacked Mahomes only twice, but the greater issue was that he was under duress throughout the game.

Mahomes’ emotion seemed to bubble over in the second quarter, with CBS cameras catching the quarterback screaming at offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

The Chiefs’ offense should have started the day with a three-and-out before Matt Araiza’s dash gave them a fresh set of downs. Kansas City couldn’t take advantage of the new life, however, as two short-yardage tries at midfield failed, giving the Raiders the ball at the 50.

The Raiders made quick work of the short field, with Kansas City’s defensive attention focused on tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer. Third-string tight end Ian Thomas presented as a blocker before leaking out for a wide-open touchdown.

The Chiefs responded on the ensuing drive, highlighted by a beautifully thrown 41-yard pass to wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who brought in the deep try to set Kansas City up inside the 10-yard line. In the game for injured wide receiver Rashee Rice, Jalen Royals picked a defender to open space for Thornton, who reeled in the 2-yard touchdown.

New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak understands what he has in Bowers, designing ways to get him one-on-one with Chiefs defenders. And when Bowers is not the target, the extra attention allows for quick passes to the other tight ends and the running back.

Understanding that Kirk Cousins is known for getting rid of the ball quickly is one thing. In the first half, the Chiefs’ front still wasn’t making him uncomfortable enough. Cousins’ command of the pocket allowed Las Vegas to take a 13-10 lead into halftime.

At least early in the game, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo seemed to favor L’Jarius Sneed and Kristian Fulton over Nohl Williams, perhaps because of costly third-down penalties that have led to points in recent weeks.

Spagnuolo must have had some inspiring words for the front at halftime, because it came out with noticeably added intensity to start the third quarter. For what felt like the first time all game, Cousins consistently faced pressure in the third quarter, and an oddly timed special teams penalty helped the Chiefs blank the Raiders in the period.

On first-and-10 at the Chiefs’ 16, Andy Reid gave Walker his third carry of the second half, and it paid immense dividends. Walker turned the corner around a defender near the sideline, breaking off a 76-yard run to get Kansas City near the Las Vegas goal line.

Two plays later, Mahomes hit Thornton for a touchdown to give Kansas City a 17-13 lead. The Raiders responded with two field-goal drives, setting up Kansas City’s dramatic game-changing push.

The Raiders aren’t going anywhere

Kansas City will come away with some lessons from Sunday afternoon’s win, especially in the trenches. Although George Karlaftis’ pressure led to the game-sealing interception, this team still hasn’t had a sack since Week 1.

The bottom line is that both the Chiefs offensive and defensive lines need to be better.

But credit is also due to the Raiders, who finally have a capable head coach, a veteran quarterback and a potential quarterback of the future waiting behind him. Not to mention an elite player to build around in Bowers, all complementing what defensive end Maxx Crosby brings to the defense.

There is no better sign of their seriousness than the fact that they never surrendered and made it a three-point game even after Bassa’s forced fumble.

Las Vegas looks like a postseason team, which means this tough, grind-it-out win could be something the Chiefs have to deal with not only two more times this season but for the foreseeable future.

Critical stat: Finishing the job

The Chiefs scored touchdowns on three of four red-zone trips. The Raiders concluded the game with a 20-yard touchdown pass, but they were 0 for 2 before the score.

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