Chiefs take control of AFC West 21-13 win over Raiders
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tyreek Hill had touchdowns receiving and on a punt return, Kansas City’s defense made life miserable for Oakland quarterback Derek Carr, and the Chiefs beat the Raiders 21-13 on a frigid Thursday night to take control of the AFC West.
Charcandrick West also had a touchdown run for the Chiefs (10-3). They moved into a first-place tie with Oakland (10-3) but holds the tiebreaker with two wins over their longtime divisional rival.
Carr was 17 of 41 for 117 yards passing, though the ugly stat line wasn’t entirely his fault.
Seth Roberts dropped just about everything thrown at him, Amari Cooper couldn’t adjust to a long throw for a would-be touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and several more passes were dropped to the rock-hard turf of Arrowhead Stadium on a night when wind chills approached single digits.
Alex Smith threw for 261 yards with a touchdown and an interception to help the Chiefs, returning home after back-to-back road wins, beat Oakland for the seventh time in their last eight meetings.
Hill didn’t seem bothered by the cold, scorching the Raiders for a 36-yard TD reception before bringing a punt back 78 yards for another score. It made him the first rookie since Gale Sayers in 1965 with touchdowns on the ground, through the air and on punt and kickoff returns in a single season.
It was still 21-3 when the Chiefs lost linebacker Derrick Johnson to an Achilles injury, and that seemed to briefly deflate them. Oakland proceeded to march 92 yards for a touchdown just before halftime.
But the Raiders kept coming up empty with their chances in the second half.
Smith threw a pick on the second play of the third quarter, but Oakland had to settle for a field goal. And when Smith was strip-sacked by Khalil Mack on the next play, the Raiders again had to try a field goal — only this time, holder Marquette King couldn’t get the snap down.
The Raiders’ last chance came with about two minutes left, when a questionable pass interference penalty and a fourth-and-4 conversion got them deep into Kansas City territory. But after a false start on fourth-and-1, Carr’s pass toward the end zone was batted incomplete.
The Chiefs went on to pick up the first down they needed to put the game away.
CATCHING KELCE
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce had five catches for 101 yards, his fourth consecutive game with at least 100 yards receiving. That matches the franchise record set by former tight end Tony Gonzalez.
MACK DADDY
Mack had a strip-sack for the third straight game, and a sack in his eighth straight dating to the Raiders’ loss to Kansas City in October. That matches Lance Johnstone for the longest streak in franchise history since sacks became official in 1982.
INJURIES
Johnson went down untouched late in the first half, and it appeared the veteran linebacker knew right away his Achilles was injured. He ruptured his right Achilles two years ago and missed the rest of the season. … Defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches left with back spasms and did not return.
Raiders offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele was a late scratch with an illness. Safety Karl Joseph was inactive with a toe injury and defensive tackle Stacy McGee was sidelined by an ankle injury.
UP NEXT
Oakland remains in the AFC West when it heads to slumping San Diego on Dec. 18.
Kansas City continues its three-game homestand Dec. 18 against Tennessee.
