Raiders’ Hopes Are Slim After Loss to Chiefs

Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs may not be a fatal blow to the Raiders, but it certainly puts them on life support.

The Raiders lost to the Chiefs, 26-15, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to fall out of a tie for first place in the AFC West. The loss drops to Oakland to 6-7 with just three games remaining, with games coming up against the Cowboys, Eagles and Chargers.

Oakland went into Sunday’s game with a two-game winning streak and the ability to control their destiny in the division race. With victories over the Chiefs and Chargers in the season finale – the teams tied with Oakland going into Sunday’s game – the Raiders would be in great position to claim a playoff spot.

But, that didn’t happen.

In fact, the Raiders quickly fell behind – giving up a field goal to Kansas City on its first possession – and then were buried in a deep hole. After three quarters, the Raiders trailed 26-0. In the fourth quarter, Marshawn Lynch scored a touchdown on a 22-yard run to cap a 67-yard drive to get the Raiders their first points. Then, after recovering an onside kick, the Raiders added another TD on Derek Carr’s 29-yard pass to tight end Jared Cook, followed by a two-point conversion pass to Michael Crabtree. However, the Raiders couldn’t pull off a comeback, with Carr intercepted on a second-and-5 throw from the Chiefs’ 38 with just under 40 seconds remaining.

It was a tough day for Carr, who was picked off twice and completed just 24-of-41 passes for 211 yards. As Vic Tafur of the Athletic noted on Twitter, the two late scores by Oakland made the game appear closer than it was.

The Raiders now face a steep climb to earn a postseason berth.