LAS VEGAS — As the Chiefs offense trotted off the field, in the aftermath of a giveaway deep in their territory, the defense scrambled onto the field. The Las Vegas Raiders, after the quick change of possession, were just 3 yards away from the end zone. A touchdown would give them the lead late in the third quarter against their archrival.
“We looked each other in the eye, and we’re like ‘Oh, we got this,’” linebacker Leo Chenal said of the Chiefs defense. “Going through each play, you just feel it more and more. It’s such a good feeling. It’s one of the best feelings in football.”
On first-and-goal, the Raiders gained 2 yards after handing the ball to running back Alexander Mattison. The next three plays, though, proved to be the turning-point sequence Sunday that helped the Chiefs maintain their lead — and ensured they stayed undefeated with a 27-20 victory.
Lineback Drue Tranquill used his quickness on the second-and-goal snap to evade a block from receiver Jakobi Meyers to hit Mattison 2 yards behind the line of scrimmage, the play ending in no gain after linebacker Nick Bolton and defensive end George Karlaftis combined for the tackle.
On third-and-goal, the Chiefs’ defensive line — featuring pass rusher Chris Jones, defensive tackles Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel and Tershawn Wharton and Chenal — swarmed Mattison. Mattison was tackled for a 2-yard loss, his body enveloped by Tranquill, Nnadi, Wharton, Bolton and Chenal.
Mattison’s three rushing attempts yielded zero yards.
“In that moment, we were prepared,” Pennel said. “Momentum is everything in football. It was a little bit exciting for adversity. A lot of guys on the defense are film junkies, so we pretty much know what’s coming. (Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) keeps us prepared on tendencies and everybody buys in.”
Before fourth-and-goal, Raiders coach Antonio Pierce had a decision to make: Kick a field goal to cut the Chiefs’ lead to one point or keep the offense on the field?
Pierce chose the latter. The Chiefs defense expected the Raiders offense to have quarterback Gardner Minshew pass the ball, so Spagnuolo substituted Pennel, Nnadi and Chenal for defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah and cornerbacks Joshua Williams and Christian Roland-Wallace, an undrafted rookie.
“Defensively, we played dominant at times — and very important times, in particular when our backs (were) to the wall,” coach Andy Reid said Monday. “We were very strong in the tackling area and the knock-back area at the line of scrimmage. Chris Jones is always a force, but you saw he’s a force in the run game as much as he was in the pass game.”
With five receivers running short routes, the Chiefs’ secondary smothered them in coverage, forcing Minshew to try to escape the pocket. But he was hit by Karlaftis and sacked by Wharton.
“We take pride in working together as a group,” Karlaftis said. “For the morale of our defense, it was huge. When they’re running it and running it and you stop the run, and then they go to pass it and the quarterback tries to scramble a little bit and you get him down, that was huge for us.”
HOW ‘BOUT THAT DEFENSE 😤 pic.twitter.com/AhtkCG4HGU
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) October 27, 2024
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes knew the Chiefs defense rescued the offense again. He reacted to the goal-line stand by dapping up as many defensive teammates as he could.
Mahomes threw an interception on a pass that defensive tackle John Jenkins deflected in the end zone to set up the Raiders’ golden opportunity on the 3-yard line.
“It’s easy in that situation to just let them kind of get in the end zone because it’s not really on them,” Mahomes said of the Chiefs defense. “It’s on the offense to put them in (a better) position, but they stood their ground.”
Inside the visitors locker room at Allegiant Stadium, Chenal acknowledged that the offense did its job immediately after the interception as left tackle Joe Thuney tackled safety Tre’von Moehrig at the 3-yard line.
“So when (the defense) gets down there, there’s no panic,” Chenal said. “It’s what we’ve been doing all year.”
In September against the Atlanta Falcons, the Chiefs defense made two fourth-down stops in the fourth quarter to ensure that victory. Continuing their dominant trend of limiting the rushing production from the opponent’s top running back, the Chiefs held Mattison to 15 yards on 14 attempts. In fact, the Raiders gained only one first down on the ground.
The Chiefs defense also forced a fourth-quarter turnover to help put the game away, just like it did in wins against the Bengals and 49ers.
TRANQUILL TAKES IT 💪 pic.twitter.com/hI8lMVoQSI
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) October 27, 2024
The Raiders’ first drive of the final quarter ended when Minshew tried to scramble out of the pocket after another blitz. Minshew fumbled the ball when he was hit from behind by Pennel. After the ball bounced forward, Tranquill recovered the fumble.
“I was just ready to make the play, man,” Pennel said, smiling. “I’m glad it happened.”
After the Chiefs stonewalled the Raiders near the end zone, the Chiefs offense helped the defense with two elongated drives that took almost 14 minutes off the clock. Tight end Travis Kelce knew the Chiefs’ 10 points in the fourth quarter were manufactured after their defense’s goal-line stop and takeaway.
“I love the way this team is playing together,” Kelce said. “We’ve all got each other’s back. When you see (the defense) make a huge play like that, we want to finish everything off. Being able to go down and score a touchdown, you want to put seven on the board for (the defense). That’s a hard defense to beat, especially when you give them the lead.”
(Top photo of George Karlaftis and Tershawn Wharton taking down Gardner Minshew: Candice Ward / Getty Images)
