Arrowhead Pride
The Chiefs defense made one of their most impressive stops of the season on Sunday.
The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 27-20 on Sunday to improve their record to 7-0. The win was full of great moments for the Chiefs, but perhaps the most significant momentum shift in the game was the defense's goal-line stand late in the fourth quarter.
An untimely Patrick Mahomes interception — he was hit as he threw in the end zone — led to setting up the Raiders in a goal-to-go situation from the 2-yard line. With their backs against the wall, Steve Spagnuolo’s unit showed grit as they fought to preserve the Chiefs' lead.
With the Chiefs holding a 17-13 lead, the Raiders took the field inside the 5-yard line. Both teams exited the huddle in heavy personnel, the Raiders with seven blockers along the line of scrimmage and the Chiefs with four down linemen, two overhang players along the edges, and secondary players in the box along with Nick Bolton.
Pre-snap, a Raiders wide receiver goes in motion, and they attempt to use misdirection against the Chiefs. They end up running an offset zone look, but the Chiefs play it well.
On the snap, George Karlaftis fires into the right tackle and knocks him two yards into the backfield. In this situation, the Chiefs' best way to hold the Raiders out of the end zone is to create quick displacement of the line of scrimmage, and Karlaftis can move the line quickly, which helps the overall play.
On the other side, Chris Jones does the same, funneling the run to the middle, where Derrick Nnadi has his man stood up and where Drue Tranquill and Bolton can both flow to make the stop.
A bit of a late surge from the Raiders puts them down just short of the end zone, but the Chiefs held them out. The defense has played with a one-play-at-a-time mentality all season long, and they would need it again here.
With the ball spotted at the 1-yard line, the Raiders come out in 12 personnel, but they have two tight bunch receivers to help out. The Chiefs load up the box with four down linemen playing inside shades in both the A and B-gaps and walk-ups on both edges.
Before the snap, Brock Bowers motions in and prepares to enter the blocking scheme, but the Chiefs were ready.
The Raiders run zone left again, but Jones and Nnadi stand up the center and left guard, and Malik Herring sets the edge. Along the backside of the play, Tranquill blows through the C-gap and makes first contact, with Karlaftis following.
Although the Chiefs got to the ball carrier, he was able to keep his footing, and the Raiders attempted to shove him in. Before the back can create more momentum, Bolton and Bryan Cook both enter the pile and, along with Nnadi, stop the movement.
The defense stopped the Raiders...
