The Kansas City Chiefs dug themselves a deep hole early in their Week 12 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Early in the second quarter, they were trailing their AFC West rivals 14-0 after running back Josh Jacobs ripped off a 63-yard rushing touchdown.
The Chiefs were lucky that the deficit wasn’t worse as kicker Daniel Carlson missed a 30-yard attempt in the first quarter that would have put them down 10-0. Kansas City was able to bounce back in the second quarter, eventually evening the game up at 14 before halftime.
Normally, that would be a good place for the Chiefs to be, heading into intermission after climbing back into the game. However, they have struggled mightily in the second half of games in recent weeks.
In three straight games, Patrick Mahomes and company had gone scoreless in the second half of games. That streak came to an end with 9:15 remaining in the third quarter when running back Isiah Pacheco plunged into the end zone for his second score of the game.
A Carlson field goal cut the Chiefs’ lead to only four points late in the third quarter, but that would be the final point Kansas City would cede in the game. They would score two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, turning what was an early 14-point deficit into a decisive 14-point win.
Rashee Rice scored one of those touchdowns, becoming the first Chiefs’ wide receiver to break the 100-yard mark this season. After the victory, Mahome sent a warning to the rest of the NFL. “We kept pressing and pushing and we’re going to keep going the rest of the season,” Mahomes said, per Fox 4 KC’s Harold R. Kuntz.
That kind of performance in the second half is one that could help the Chiefs build momentum heading into the stretch run of the season. The race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC is a tight one, so they have to execute if they want the playoffs to run through Arrowhead.
Kansas City will look to keep the good times rolling in Week 13 when they head on the road to face off against the streaking Green Bay Packers. Green Bay has won two in a row and three out of their last four, putting themselves squarely in the mix for a playoff spot in the NFC.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
