The Kansas City Chiefs welcomed division rival Las Vegas Raiders to Arrowhead for a little Monday Night Football. It was interesting to see the Raiders dominate in the first half. Although, given Kansas City’s proclivity to comebacks, the Raiders should have known better. As with many games this past weekend, teams are not playing a full 60-minute game. On a happier note, Patrick Mahomes passed Troy Aikman on the all-time list for career touchdowns with 166. Aikman threw 165 touchdowns across 12 seasons. Mahomes was able to do it in six.
Be sure to check out all of our NFL coverage.
Raiders Forgot About Mahomes (In the 2nd Half)
In the first half of the game, the offensive line was not doing a great job of protecting Mahomes. Although they were performing better as the game went on, especially in the second half, it does not excuse them from being unable to play a full 60-minute game. This has been an issue since the beginning of the season, and if they are not careful, it may lead to fumbles, sacks, and injuries. The Chiefs’ defense also looked lackluster in the first half. They could not contain the Raiders’ offense, no matter what they did. They allowed Derek Carr enough time in the pocket to make things happen for the raider offense.
When the second half began, you knew the Chiefs were in it to win it. They seem to excel when they are down or behind. The poise needed to remain calm is beyond mind-blowing. Kansas City is able to take the pressure they are under and use it as motivation, and where other teams might collapse, they thrive. We have all seen it time and time again. While it is not a strategy you want to keep using, their never give up mentality is what sets them apart from most other teams.
Kelce is the Man
While there is no doubt Travis Kelce is not quite the player he used to be, he still knows how to be that player when the Chiefs need him most. He has a career-high four touchdown receptions in the game, giving him seven total touchdowns through five games. He is certainly on pace to have a career season as far as touchdowns go. For right now, the combo of Mahomes to Kelce appears to be making up somewhat for the loss of Tyreek Hill. Only time will tell if it is going to be the go-to pairing.
Chiefs Still Rule the West
Many Kansas City fans can point to the summer break and how many were talking about how great the AFC West will be and that all the teams made improvements but the Chiefs. Do you remember that? The Chiefs and their fan certainly do. Right now, they are sitting at 4-1 atop the AFC West. It would be even more satisfying if they has not lost to the Colts. So many were counting the Chiefs out, but as of right now, the Los Angeles Chargers appear to be the closest challenger. However, do not forget the Chiefs beat them in Week 2. The Denver Broncos are looking a little lost after Russell Wilson, their one last great hope, is not performing as well as expected.
The AFC West can change at a moment’s notice. The Chiefs have firmly been in the driver’s seat for the past few years, and right now, unless a catastrophic collapse happens, they will still be zooming along with the other three as passengers. Will anyone besides the Chiefs make it into the playoffs? The Chargers have the best chance right now. Denver will need to get Wilson cooking a little more, and the Raiders will need to not be overly aggressive in their play-calling and action on the field.
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk
Follow Liz Pendergraft on Twitter @lizzibear824
Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
