Chiefs rally behind Mahomes’ clutch drive to edge Raiders 27–23

KANSAS CITY, MO - Patrick Mahomes did it again. With the game - and both teams' seasons - hanging in the balance, the Kansas City quarterback engineered a lightning-quick, 77-yard touchdown drive in the final minute to lift the Chiefs past the Las Vegas Raiders, 27-23, on Sunday.

"It's about trust and execution," Mahomes said afterward. "We've been in these situations before - everyone just did their job and stayed calm."

Back-and-forth first half

Kansas City opened the scoring when Harrison Butker knocked through a short field goal late in the first quarter. Las Vegas answered as Raheem Mostert sliced in from 10 yards to make it 7-3. "The O-line gave me a clean lane," Mostert said. "We knew we could move the ball on them early, we just had to finish drives."

The Raiders twice bowed up in the red zone in the second quarter, forcing another chip-shot Butker kick to cut it to 7-6. A potential Las Vegas knockout punch fizzled when Geno Smith was intercepted by Justin Simmons in the end zone with 2:45 left. "I just read his eyes and trusted my instincts," Simmons said. "Our defense needed a spark."

Minutes later, linebacker Leo Chenal picked Smith again with :43 remaining, setting up a five-play Chiefs march capped by a 24-yard strike from Mahomes to JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 13-7 lead. "Pat put it right on me," Smith-Schuster said. "When the game speeds up, he somehow slows it down." Daniel Carlson drilled a 53-yarder at the horn to pull Vegas within 13-10 at halftime.

Raiders rally, but settle for threes

After another red-zone stand by Kansas City, Carlson tied it 13-13 with 4:38 left in the third. On the next series, the Chiefs went for it on 4th-and-1 at their own 44 and were stuffed; the Raiders took over at the 38 but again stalled inside the five, settling for a Carlson kick and a 16-13 lead heading to the fourth. "We have to capitalize down there," said Raiders head coach Max Farias. "You can't trade touchdowns for field goals against a quarterback like Mahomes."

Mahomes answers - and answers again

Mahomes opened the fourth quarter by capping an 8-play, 65-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster, giving the Chiefs a 20-16 edge with 6:54 remaining. "We knew the middle would open if I held my route," Smith-Schuster said. "Pat trusted me, and we executed."

Smith and the Raiders responded with a 12-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 7-yard dart to Dont'e Thornton Jr., reclaiming a 23-20 lead with 1:28 left. "We believed we could win it right there," Geno Smith said. "That's the kind of fight this team has."

That proved too much time. Mahomes carved up the defense on a seven-play, 77-yard march in 1:05, highlighted by a 17-yard scramble to the 8 with :40 to go. Two snaps later, he dumped it off to Kareem Hunt for the go-ahead touchdown. "We've been working on that checkdown look all week," Hunt said. "The defense dropped deep, and Pat found me in space." Harrison Butker's extra point made it 27-23, and the Raiders' last-gasp drive fell short as time expired.

By the numbers

Mahomes finished 27-of-36 for 295 yards and 3 touchdown passes (two to Smith-Schuster, one to Hunt), adding 31 rushing yards. Hunt totaled 84 scrimmage yards and the game-winning score. For Las Vegas, Smith threw for 238 yards (1 TD, 2 INT), Mostert ran for 72 and a TD, and Carlson went 3-for-3 on field goals, including a 53-yarder.

"It's tough, man," Farias said. "We played our hearts out and had the lead late. Against that guy, though, 90 seconds can feel like forever."

Up Next

The Chiefs (2-4) are home in Week 8 to face the Washington Commanders. The Raiders (2-5) have a Week 8 bye before hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9.