Oakland Raiders prove they are for real with win over the Kansas City Chiefs
The last time the Oakland Raiders made the play-offs they made a run all the way to the Super Bowl, where they eventually lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back on January 26, 2003. Since then the Raiders
haven't even been close to making the play-offs, but they made a major case for themselves this season by coming up with a big 23-20 win on Sunday, 7 November over the AFC West leading Kansas City Chiefs.
How it happened
The Chiefs have been the most effective running team in the NFL, but the Raiders did a good job limiting them to just 104 yards on the ground.
The Chiefs went into half time up 10-0, but Jacoby Ford ran the second-half kick off back 94 yards for a touchdown to get the Raiders back into the game.
With just over six minutes left, and the Raiders leading 17-13, Matt Cassel found Dwayne Bowe with a 20-yard strike to put the Chiefs up by three.
With time winding down, the Raiders got the ball into Chiefs territory, giving kicker Sebastian Janikowski a chance to tie it. Janikowski made good with his 41-yard attempt to send the game to overtime.
After the Chiefs went four and out with the first possession of overtime, Jason Campbell threw a 47 yard pass to Jacoby Ford to set up Janikowski's 31-yard field goal, which won it for the Raiders.
What they're saying
Raiders head coach Tom Cable was happy with the way his team fought hard to get the win.
"It wasn't the way we drew it up but it was the way it was supposed to be," he said. "We hung in there, fought, hung in there, fought, got a chance, made a couple of plays, made two kicks and now we're
all happy. It's a great job by our team of really pulling together."
Ford was instrumental in helping the Raiders to victory as he caught six passes for 148 yards, including the 47-yard pass play that set up the winning field goal. It was also his kick off return for a
touchdown which started the Raiders' comeback.
"It's something I've been wanting to do ever since I was little," Ford said about his kick off return touchdown. "I went out there, and it was a dream come true to be out there having fun making plays
with those guys."
What it all means
Besides closing the gap on the division leading Chiefs, the Raiders have now defeated every team in their division and have won their last three games in a row. They now get a week off as they prepare
to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, 21 November.
The Chiefs have now lost three of their last five and can feel the Raiders and San Diego Chargers creeping up behind them. They play in Denver against the Broncos next Sunday, 14 November.
Tags: