KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the primary six performs of what may’ve been the game-winning drive, nothing may go improper for the Las Vegas Raiders. The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs jumped offside on the primary play of the possession, after which quarterback Aidan O’Connell accomplished 5 passes in a row to maneuver the Raiders to the Chiefs’ 32-yard line.
The Raiders have been trailing 19-17 when O’Connell spiked the ball with 15 seconds remaining in regulation, however they appeared to be effectively on their solution to pulling off an inconceivable upset. On the following snap, nevertheless, every little thing would crumble.
Because the Raiders broke their huddle with 9 seconds left on the play clock, O’Connell clapped his fingers as a sign for his teammates to line up rapidly. With six seconds left on the clock, O’Connell stopped clapping and seemed to his proper to speak with receiver Tre Tucker. When he seemed to his left to do the identical with receiver Jakobi Meyers, the ball was snapped. It deflected off his bicep, bounced round on the sector and ricocheted off proper sort out DJ Glaze into the ready arms of Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton.
The Raiders fumble it, the Chiefs get well it to seal the sport ‼️#LVvsKC on Prime Video
Additionally streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/WvNvUONRM5— NFL (@NFL) November 29, 2024
Similar to that, the Raiders went from being in place to win to staring down their eighth straight defeat. All Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes needed to do from there was kneel out the clock to knock Las Vegas right down to 2-10 on the season.
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Chiefs survive vs. Raiders after Las Vegas’ important botched snap: Takeaways
The Raiders’ game-sealing fumble was a results of miscommunication. Proper after O’Connell completed clapping, proper guard Dylan Parham tapped rookie middle Jackson Powers-Johnson. Of their three video games enjoying subsequent to one another, there have been occasions Parham has achieved that as a sign for Powers-Johnson to snap the ball. (It occurred simply final week in opposition to the Denver Broncos.) So, Powers-Johnson snapped the ball though O’Connell wasn’t searching for it.
What a WILD ending on Black Friday 👀 pic.twitter.com/JtYRVva6Zy
— NFL (@NFL) November 29, 2024
Throughout his postgame information convention, O’Connell took the blame for his clapping, which can be utilized as an indication to snap the ball when the group is simply too loud for a verbal cue.
“The clock was operating down. I used to be attempting to get the blokes lined up,” O’Connell mentioned. “It’s fully my fault. … Jackson did precisely what he ought to’ve achieved. … After which it’s simply how the soccer bounces typically. It didn’t go our means. It’s tremendous robust, however there’s actually no person accountable however myself. That’s in all probability the toughest half to swallow.”
Powers-Johnson, in the meantime, mentioned he was at fault for the mishap.
“I assumed he was calling for the snap and I snapped the ball,” Powers-Johnson mentioned. “I’ve bought to be higher in that scenario. We have been about to beat a very nice crew. These miscommunications can’t occur. I’m taking full duty. I’m going to place that loss on me.”
Parham didn’t converse to reporters within the locker room, however Powers-Johnson refused to place it on him. The rookie didn’t suppose the noise ought to have been an element.
“We didn’t come up quick,” Powers-Johnson mentioned. “I got here up quick.”
Chiefs defenders sign following their restoration of a fumbled Raiders snap late within the fourth quarter. (Denny Medley / Imagn Photos)
The reality is O’Connell, Powers-Johnson and Parham all contributed to the fumble that ended the Raiders’ upset bid. However what additionally requires examination is the decision-making of head coach Antonio Pierce.
It appeared just like the Raiders have been trying to run a fast play to shorten the gap for kicker Daniel Carlson. It might’ve been a 50-yarder in the event that they’d kicked from the Chiefs’ 32-yard line. Whereas Carlson is a former All-Professional who has revamped 30 subject objectives of fifty or extra yards all through his profession, he had already missed three kicks quick Friday — from 56, 55 and 58 yards. It might’ve made sense to attempt to make his remaining try simpler.
Surprisingly, that wasn’t the Raiders’ plan.
“We have been going to throw the ball away and waste 4 or 5 extra seconds and kick the sector objective,” Pierce mentioned.
If that was the intention, then the Raiders ought to’ve simply waited longer to spike the ball after O’Connell’s completion to operating again Ameer Abdullah. Working one other play opened the door to pointless dangers resembling O’Connell getting sacked or a deflected go getting picked off. A botched snap can all the time occur, in fact, however there’s a higher likelihood of error on a snap out of the shotgun in comparison with being below middle, which is what O’Connell did on the spike. Pierce’s determination to run one other play in the end helped open the door for the fumble that value the Raiders the sport.
One other controversial component of the play was {that a} penalty was referred to as. One referee appeared to run in from the sideline and make the sign for a false-start penalty in opposition to the Raiders — however the infraction was modified to an unlawful shift. The Raiders gamers and coaches protested the change as a result of a false begin is a dead-ball penalty and so they heard one official whistle the play lifeless, and due to this fact the fumble wouldn’t have counted. However the unlawful shift name allowed the play to proceed, so the Chiefs merely declined the penalty and the fumble was upheld.
A clearly pissed off Pierce declined to reply when requested to share the reason he bought from the referees.
The referees affirm an unlawful shift on the offense however the Chiefs recovered the backwards go.#BlackFridayNFL pic.twitter.com/9nM9AF0tZa
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) November 29, 2024
“It’s what it’s,” Raiders defensive finish Maxx Crosby mentioned. “You may’t management every little thing. (Stuff) occurs. It’s disappointing, to say the least.”
The Athletic reached out to the NFL after the sport to get readability on the official’s ruling on the play. NFL senior vice chairman of soccer and worldwide communications Michael Signora responded by way of e mail.
“Had the clock been operating on the snap, then by rule an unlawful shift would convert to a false begin,” Signora wrote. “Because the clock was stopped (as a result of spike on the second-down play), an unlawful shift is a live-ball foul.”
A false begin known as when a participant strikes illegally after lining up however earlier than the ball is snapped. The Raiders have been referred to as for an unlawful shift as a result of the ball was snapped earlier than they have been lined up. By the letter of the rule, the referees made the proper name.
The disastrous end to Friday’s recreation will overshadow the actual fact the Raiders put forth a valiant effort in opposition to the back-to-back defending Tremendous Bowl champions. O’Connell threw for a career-high 340 yards after a five-week absence attributable to a damaged thumb. Working again Honest McCormick continued to spark a beforehand dormant floor recreation and averaged 5.3 yards per carry. Tight finish Brock Bowers had one other sensational efficiency with 10 catches for 140 yards and a landing. Receiver Jakobi Meyers had six catches for 97 yards, and fellow wideout Tre Tucker hauled in a 58-yard rating. The protection harassed Mahomes all recreation lengthy, sacking him 5 occasions, and largely held the Chiefs offense in examine. Abdullah excelled as a returner. That collective effort had them on the sting of victory.
“They fought their asses off till the tip,” Pierce mentioned. “All three phases in some unspecified time in the future contributed to assist us get into that place.”
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As the truth of the loss set in, it remained troublesome for Crosby to just accept.
“I don’t know find out how to clarify it,” the three-time Professional Bowler mentioned. “You may’t describe it. It’s so disappointing for the blokes as a result of everybody out there may be actually placing their life on the road. … We’re 13.5-point underdogs that no person believes can go in there and win, and we had ’em proper on the ropes. It’s disappointing, however I’m so happy with my teammates.”
Pierce impressed confidence within the Raiders throughout his nine-game run as interim head coach final 12 months, however his first full season on the job has been outlined by the crew persistently discovering methods to let winnable video games slip away. Though there’s no questioning their resolve, the outcomes have to enhance in some unspecified time in the future.
“I’m happy with my crew,” Pierce mentioned. “The report is what it’s, however this can be a crew that’s prideful and that’s enjoying for each other. There’s no give up. There’s no placing their heads down or their chins down.
“However I don’t wish to preserve saying that after losses, proper? We’ve simply bought to maintain battling. They’ll have a while off, and we’ll regroup. However one factor I’m not going to remove is the trouble, the satisfaction and the best way they competed.”
(Picture: David Eulitt / Getty Photos)
