Raiders’ report card: Late-game disaster spoils otherwise solid effort
How the Raiders performed in a 19-17 loss to the Chiefs:
Offense: C-
The Raiders may deserve a worse grade given how the game ended, but they looked improved from previous weeks. They ran the ball successfully, gaining 116 yards on 25 rushing attempts. Running back Sincere McCormick had a team-best 64 yards on 12 carries. But then a snap hit quarterback Aidan O’Connell when he wasn’t looking in the fourth quarter and the Chiefs recovered the fumble to end the game. O’Connell took the blame for the play, saying he was clapping for rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson to snap the ball. Powers-Johnson said it was on him. Either way, it was a disastrous ending. O’Connell, in his first start since fracturing his right thumb in Week 7, completed 23 of his 35 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns. He also took a horrible sack in the third quarter that forced kicker Daniel Carlson to attempt a longer field goal, which he missed. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers had a team-high 10 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown.
Defense: B
The Raiders’ defense allowed just one touchdown and held Kansas City to 63 rushing yards. The team brought pressure all afternoon, sacking Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes four times. The Raiders also hit Mahomes 12 times and recorded five tackles for loss. Defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson had a fine game, finishing with 1½ sacks, three quarterback hits and a tackle for loss. Linebacker Robert Spillane had a team-high nine tackles and defensive end Maxx Crosby had a sack, four quarterback hits and two tackles for loss. The Raiders’ defense played well enough to win.
Special teams: D
Carlson is almost always automatic, but he wasn’t Friday. He missed on tries from 56, 55 and 58 yards. This grade would be an easy “F” if not for running back Ameer Abdullah. He had an 18-yard punt return and a 68-yard kickoff return. The latter set up the Raiders’ first touchdown.
Coaching: C
Coaches can’t be blamed for an ill-advised snap. That’s on the offense. Players have to execute. But coaches can be blamed for calling a play there that was designed to just waste time before a potential game-winning field-goal attempt. Antonio Pierce’s team did a lot of good things, but it again made critical mistakes at the worst times.
Ed Graney Review-Journal