Raiders week 13 Ballers & Busters vs Chiefs: Part two

Busters

Derek Carr

To find the reasons why Carr tops this week's Busters, you need only look at the fourth quarter. So, that's where we'll pick things up.

The quarter began with the Raiders holding a 20-14 lead and with possession of the football. A 23-yard Amari Cooper catch put the Raiders in field goal range at the KC 33-yard-line. The next play, Michael Crabtree went on a cross from left to right and had broken wide open with nothing but open field in front of him. Carr saw him (it would be hard not to) and threw the ball his way, but it sailed way over Crabtree's head.

Even though it was very likely a missed touchdown, a play like that can be forgotten easily if the drive still results in points. But on the next play, Carr compounded the issue. He couldn't find an open receiver, so he scrambled around in the pocket -- looking very much like a pinball - until he thought he found an opening and tried to quickly flick a pass that went right into the hands of linebacker Josh Mauga who returned it 66 yards before being stopped at the 3-yard-line. The Chiefs scored two plays later.

After the game, Jack Del Rio said Carr was trying to do too much. Carr admitted that, at least with that first interception, that was indeed the case. Even though with a 6-point lead and already in scoring position on second down, there was absolutely no reason to get desperate. Anyway, moving on.

The Raiders got the ball back and once again drove into Chiefs' territory at the 49-yard-line. Then Carr threw a mysterious pass that landed in the vicinity of three Chiefs' defenders with no Raiders receivers anywhere in the vicinity. Amari Cooper went up and in and Crabtree had fallen down on his route even before Carr released the ball, so it's a pass that should never have been thrown.

Marcus Peters was the lucky recipient and he returned the interception and he returned it 58 yards to the Oakland 13-yard-line. And on one play, the Chiefs punched it in for the go-ahead touchdown.

Now down 26-20, the Raiders went on another drive. This time when in field goal range, they didn't turn the ball over. However, the field goal was missed from 49 yards out. The defense held strong to force a three-and-out, so the Raiders would once again get the ball back still with plenty of time on the clock (4:37) and a touchdown and extra point for the lead. So, Derek Carr tried to force a throw into a well covered Amari Cooper where it was intercepted and returned for a touchdown.

Carr said he wasn't trying to do too much on that play and yet he admitted it was a throw he wouldn't have made in the first quarter. In other words, he was trying to do too much. And again, with still 3:27 on the clock and the Raiders defending the Chiefs well, there was no reason for it. Marcus Peters was right with Cooper and between him and Carr on the pass. Cooper had to lay out and attempt to catch a bullet around Peters. It grazed off Cooper's hands and into the waiting arms of Tyvon Branch who returned it for the touchdown. Game over.

Nate Allen

The first completion in the game by the Chiefs was to the man Nate Allen was covering. It went for 11 yards to put them in scoring position at the 37-yard-line and sparked their touchdown drive. Later in the first half, he gave up a wide open 16-yard catch to Travis Kelce. It would have put the Chiefs in field goal range had Charles Woodson not came over and stripped Kelce of the ball.

The Chiefs' second touchdown drive came in the third quarter. The touchdown itself came on third and two from the 10-yard-line. The Chiefs ran it up the gut and got a lot more than 2 yards in part because Allen missed the tackle near the line they easily ran it in for the score.

Off of the second Chiefs' interception, they lined up at the 13-yard-line. Then they went for a bubble screen and Allen was blocked on the play as Jeremy Maclin sprinted for the score. That block went right into Allen's knee and he left the game not to return. This was his third game back since returning from a previous knee injury that had him out for eight weeks. Now he is considered day-to-day and could potentially miss more time.

Donald Penn, Austin Howard

Even with Justin Houston not playing, the Chiefs pass rusher gave Penn and Howard problems. And their stout front was also often too much for them to handle. Penn  gave up a run stuff for no gain on third and one on the Raiders' second drive. They went for it on fourth down and couldn't pick it up. A fumble by the Chiefs gave the Raiders the ball right back, but a pressure and hit on Carr helped ensure they couldn't take advantage. The pressure and hit came from Tamba Hali who drove Penn onto his back and launched into Carr as he threw.

Later in the second quarter, the Chiefs ran a stunt on the right side of the defensive line that fooled Penn and resulted in a run stuff for no gain.

The Raiders scored on their first possession of the second half, but no thanks to Howard who opted for a double team inside which released a free rusher at right end. Later in the drive he gave up a run stuff for a one-yard gain. He would pick up where he left off by giving up a run stuff for one yard to begin the following series.

The final drive of the game began with Howard giving up a pressure for an incompletion and ended with Penn giving up a sack on fourth down.

Ken Norton Jr

Most of the Chiefs' big offensive plays came in all too familiar fashion. Their first touchdown came via quarterback scramble. The next time they threatened to score it was a catch by a wide open tight end.

Their second touchdown of the game was also a run up the middle. This time it was the running back from ten yards out on a play which saw the Raiders field no defensive tackles. Teams have been feasting on that alignment all season and yet we keep seeing it in crucial red zone situations. This one came on third and two. You think the Chiefs might try to run it? And you think maybe having a defensive tackle in the game in that instance would be a good idea? Probably. Instead, all Chiefs running back Spencer Ware had in front of him was safety Nate Allen and cake walk.

Both of their final two offensive touchdowns came via bubble screen. Those blasted bubble screens. Who knew they were so unstoppable? Why doesn't every team just run those every play? I guess it will have to remain a mystery. Either way, every time the Chiefs got in the red zone, they scored a touchdown. Four touchdowns in seven total plays inside the red zone. Pathetic.

Sebastian Janikowski

He missed an extra point in this game off the left upright. Then with the Raiders up down 26-20 late in the fourth quarter, he missed a 49-yard field goal. His first kickoff was returned 33 yards to the 34-yard-line. After a penalty, the Chiefs' first drive started at their own 44-yard-line. And they drove for a touchdown. He decided to kick touchbacks after that.

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