Chiefs @ Raiders
Final Score: Chiefs 31, Raiders 17
Writer: Matthew Bevins (@MattBQbList on Twitter)
The Raiders faced a tall task on Sunday, attempting to hit goliath with some football sized stones, while the Chiefs continue to find themselves after an early season hiccup, now having Chris Jones locked up under contract, and Patrick Mahomes finding ways to win without premier wide receiver help. The Raiders are clearly playing for another year, and looking to also find what they have in Aidan McConnell, but there are some signs of hopes. Let’s dive in!
Three Up
- Patrick Mahomes- How does he get any better? Well, the worries in the offseason of having no wide receiver help seem to be something he can remedy without it, and he’s finding a likely new bedfellow in the following name on the list.
- Rashee Rice – No, he’s not as talented as a certain fella with the name Rice who was in the league years ago, but there looks to be something to be mined out of the hills with this pairing. With over 100 yards in the air, Rice is starting to show that he can be relied on, and with players like Kadarius Toney unable to perform or remain on the field, the opportunities are vast.
- Jakobi Meyers- This was a close race between Meyers and Davante Adams. Still, ultimately it’s probably better to choose the guy who was getting close to the late-season cut, as people are looking for consistency, and he’s been the opposite. With a touchdown grab and massive targets, the future is looking up.
Three Down
- Kadarius Toney – Well, this idea seems like it’s come off the runway, and is about to crash into the nearest town. Toney has so much talent (arguably more than Rice…nay, anyone on the field not named Travis Kelce or Patrick Mahomes) , but he’s either too hurt to display it, or his ego gets in the way of the passes.
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire – For what they invested in this fella, it’s absolutely amazing how quickly his career has careened it’s way off the rails. The job is Isiah Pacheco’s to lose, and likely it won’t be lost, as the team seems to find all their energy through his brutal rushes.
- Las Vegas Raider fans- This poor fanbase can’t catch a break. Pulled away from their hometown, and now they’re continuing to get beat up week after week. They also could lose Josh Jacobs to free agency, and rumors are already swirling that Adams may find his way to New York to link up with Aaron Rodgers next season.
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes: 27/34, 298 Yards, 2 TDs | 5 carries, 9 yards
Patrick Mahomes often receives a large amount of credit, placing in the upper echelon of quarterbacks (he and Jalen Hurts are arguably the 1A/1B of this conversation), but he may be garnering more attention after the ragtag assortment of wide receiver help he’s been given is ghastly, to say the least. Mahomes has found some opportunities in quick movement out of the pocket, but it looks like some success may be found in the three-headed attack of Travis Kelce, Isaiah Pacheco, and Rashee Rice.
Notes
- Mahomes will continue to see his name atop the fantasy and standard quarterback rankings, and a lot of it is due to the continued consistency over time, amidst so much changing at rapid paces. Mahomes looked speedier than usual in this matchup and locked in on a few key target-getters to help his line for the day. The Raiders’ pass defense has been underrated all season, and bringing in a talented head case like Jack Jones could only make them a bit tougher to deal with. He’s also making unbelievable passes, and you can see just one of those below. Head spinning stuff here.
This is vintage @PatrickMahomes 🔥
📺: #KCvsLV on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/1dOevJjoZZ pic.twitter.com/sGnauFLCh0— NFL (@NFL) November 26, 2023
Running Back
Isaiah Pacheco: 15 carries, 55 yards, 2 TDs | 5 targets, 5 receptions, 34 yards
Pacheco started the season with some rise, whereas after playing all of last year, there was talk this could be his backfield to lose. A round-7 pick, there is still shock looking at this backfield and realizing that he’s likely stolen it with angry running from Clyde Edwards-Helaire, but that may just be where we are. A dual-threat back, he was ripping off sizable chunks of yardage today, while also becoming a full dual-threat, seeing the field for 47 of the Chiefs’ 60 plays, a massive uptick over Helaire’s 13.
Notes
- Pacheco is an absolute delight to watch on the field, and today was absolutely no different. While he’s able to be used as a check-down option when needed, he is an absolute battering ram inside the red and green zone. The touchdown to put the Chiefs up 21-14 was a quick rush, but his body is to the line usually before the offensive and defensive linemen have even wrapped up with each other.
Pacheco punches it home 😤 pic.twitter.com/nS1mcm0frE
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 26, 2023
There’s no reason to cover any other backs, as Edwards-Helaire barely saw the field, and Mahomes is arguably their second-best rusher/back.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Rashee Rice: 10 targets, 8 receptions, 107 Yards, 1 TD
Rashee Rice, like Pacheco, was scouted and found by the Chiefs to arguably fit their high-speed offense, and he’s fitting in swimmingly. Rice isn’t entirely in the Tyreek Hill vein, but they are starting to become comfortable with him being used in downfield situations, or in quicker check-down scenarios across the field. Hill is the next-level talent any team would look for, but Hill may be a close second for a team that needs a player like him. Rice saw 10 targets in today’s game and looked comfortable with the volume.
Notes
- Rice saw 40 snaps, second only to Kelce in terms of receiving crew, and it’s very clear he’s going to highlight as their number one option for the remainder of the year. On his touchdown pass, he was able to cut across the middle of the field, using a quality cut move and his speed to break past defenders in a pretty tight area of the field.
Mitch Holthus calls a 39-yard Rashee Rice ZOOM to the end zone! pic.twitter.com/a0y8VaAzlb
— 📽️ Red Tribe Cinema (@ClayWendler) November 27, 2023
Travis Kelce: 9 targets, 6 receptions, 91 yards
Travis Kelce was slow to start out in terms of targets, but finished the game with a respectable line, if only he had added a touchdown to make it look more rosy. One thing we should keep in mind as we finish off the season as fantasy players is that while he saw more targets than Rice today, Rice is starting to see an upswing in targets, and Pacheco is becoming a weekly red-zone threat. This could lead to fewer red-zone targets, and also less targets in general. He’ll still operate as the #1 tight end in the game but set expectations a tad lower.
Skyy Moore: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 34 yards
There were injuries to make this game a tad different than usual, but the good news is Skyy Moore still has a spot on this squad. Moore was the darling of drafters just last year, seen as someone who could replace Hill akin to what Rashee Rice is doing now, but the flower never bloomed. Moore seeing any involvement other than trick play rushes like games prior is definitely a bit more interesting, and is something we could look at more for next year than to finish off this year’s schedule.
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback
Aidan O’Connell: 23/33, 248 Yards, 1 TD
Aidan O’Connell didn’t have much to prove coming into this season, as his name wasn’t even mentioned in the Raiders’ plans, but here we are more than halfway through the season and it’s entirely possible he goes into the next football season as their QB1. While they lost the game today, O’Connell does something that Jimmy Garoppolo does not do well (at least this season prior to injury), finding Davante Adams when needed, and showcasing his arm at times.
Notes
- O’Connell showed us some exciting play in today’s game, finally building some camaraderie with Jakobi Meyers, someone who’d ultimately been put in the back of the truck to be brought to the dump, only to find himself once again atop the heap. O’Connell shared the field for 100% of snaps with Adams, and it seems like there may be an unexpected partnership there that was not there between Adams and Jimmy. O’Connell even found Meyers across the middle of the field for a zippy touchdown but also was able to place some balls in difficult positions for defenders to get to, while locking into his receivers. There’s a slight possibility he may be a solid NFL quarterback, especially given the extremely difficult draw of facing the Chief’s lauded defense.
Running Back
Josh Jacobs: 20 carries, 110 yards, 1 TD | 6 targets, 4 receptions, 15 yards
Josh Jacobs is likely going to be the key to the Raiders’ offseason, as he sits on the franchise tag for this season, but could take off in free agency for good money. Jacobs continues to produce and is remarkably on the field for almost 75 percent of the Raiders plays today.
Notes
- Jacobs averaged over 5 yards per carry and left the game with a touchdown as well, and a mighty fine one at that. The 63-yard scamper was a beautiful play, as Jacobs took the handoff, cut outside past some defenders, hit the hole, and ended up running down the sideline with hardly any defenders save one in sight. Jacobs’ speed is elusive, and sometimes surprises, as he’s a more physical runner than speed and spice, but this run was everything that makes someone like Jacobs so important to their future.
The Josh Jacobs 63-yard TD run is even better from our field angle camera 😤#Raiders #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/kQhhXWLKPg
— Logan Reever (@loganreever) November 27, 2023
There is no need for secondary running backs as well for the Raiders as Zamir White saw the field for only two snaps and Abdullah for 12.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jakobi Meyers: 7 targets, 6 receptions, 79 Yards, 1 TD
It feels like some kind of bad joke to continue to write up Raider’s coverage as someone who misses Jakobi Meyers so much as a resident New England fan, but it is a nice thing to see that someone can pass to him this year with some consistency (You ain’t going to do this, are you, Mac?) Meyers is one of the most underrated wide receivers to watch, as he runs concise routes, has extremely reliable hands, and seems to find himself open more often than not.
Notes
- Meyers’ touchdown was an absolutely beautiful play, but the fact he was so on top of his route tree when facing such a strong defense speaks volumes. He laid out for a pass on a 33-yard reception, then blew kisses to the crowd. Meyers will remain underrated but could be a great cog for this team’s core going forward and into next year. His ability to find himself open, and continue to work for the ball is of immense value for a rebuilding squad like this.
Davante Adams: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 73 Yards
Prior to the Jimmy G injury, it was entirely possible you were an Adams owner looking at your squad and wondering how you could get him away from your lineup sooner rather than later, but it seems the O’Connell move may be saving our seasons. While this week didn’t end with an acrobatic touchdown, it’s very clear O’Connell will be looking for him first on most route reads. Adams was out on the field on every single snap of the Raiders offensive plays, and it was clear he was pulling most of the defensive coverage, while still running up 73 yards on 5 receptions.
Notes
- Adams and Meyers are making a remarkable 1-2 punch that could continue to keep this Raiders’ squad slugging late in games, as this game was won by the sheer firepower of Mahomes & Co. and less of an indictment of the Raiders offense. O’Connell ended the game with a QBR over 100 and looked vastly competent for the majority of the game.
Hunter Renfrow: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 38 yards
While Hunter Renfrow saw fewer snaps than some of the other offensive weapons with fewer receptions, it’s clear that the team may be shifting themselves on how this offense can be run (is it the coaching changeover to Pierce?) Renfrow was showcased across the middle of the field, and shorter route trees, while Meyers was seen less on possession receiving that he’s known for, and was actually placed along the outside hash marks with Davante Adams across the way, leading us to wonder if this may be the best way this offense could be run. Renfrow has been vastly underwhelming, but also possibly underutilized, and this could be a sign of things to come for a PPR top-30 wide receiver for many years.