Raiders week 17 Ballers & Busters vs Chiefs

This is not at all the way the Raiders wanted to end the season. Just last week, they were celebrating probably their best overall performance of the season. It led to there being no Busters named. They brought none of that spirit to Kansas City.

It seemed like everything that could go wrong, did. Whether it was giving up big touchdown passes, missing easy opportunities, or turning the ball over, the Raiders ranged from spinning their wheels to straight up doing a face plant. The result was the most lopsided loss to the Chiefs in 43 years.

Ballers

Doug Martin

Strong finish to the season for Martin, being named Top Baller the last two games. Even while putting the ball on the ground in this one, he still made so many plays it was impossible to deny he was the best thing the Raiders had going for them.

The fumble was how his day began. He shook it off and made up for it. The Cheifs didn’t score off the turnover. And when the Raiders got the ball back, Martin got the Raiders moving with a 15-yard run and a 5-yard run on third and two. The next play was the Derek Carr pick six.

In the second quarter, the Raiders would drive into Chiefs territory, setting up at the 41-yard-line. Martin saw pressure in the backfield and broke the tackle to pick up seven yards, putting the team in scoring range. The next play Carr would throw his second interception.

The next possession was the Raiders’ only scoring drive. It featured several big Martin runs, including four in a row to start the drive. His second run, he killed a guy, blasting him to his back and picking up eight yards. Then runs of 13 and 11. The drive would reach the 32-yard-line with a 50-yard field goal. Martin had 42 yards on six runs. He had 83 yards on 16 carries (5.2 yards per carry) at the half.

The first drive of the second half, nearly ended with a fumble on a strip sack, but Martin dove on the ball to recover it. He lost a fumble and recovered one. With the game out of hand, he didn’t run much in the second half, finishing with 100 yards on 21 carries (4.8 yards per carry).

Kelechi Osemele, Rodney Hudson, Denzelle Good

Someone had to clear the paths Martin was taking to pick up all those yards and more times than not, it was this interior trio. All three laid key blocks on Martin’s first big run for 15 yards. Hudson and Good blocked for him to pick up 5 yards on third and two.

Each of his runs on the scoring drive were made possible by one or more of this trio. Osemele on the first run for four yards, Good on the 8-yard run, Hudson and Good on the 13-yard run, and Osemele and Hudson on the 11-yard run. The one big mistake was Good giving up a half sack. Neither Osemele nor Hudson gave up so any pressure on Carr.

Gareon Conley

Conley cleared the concussion protocol the day of the game and as has been the case much of this season, he was the best looking corner on the field for the Raiders. He had a pass defended on the first play of the game. Early in the second quarter he had tight coverage to force Pat Mahomes to scramble where he was tackled for a two-yard gain.

An interception in the second quarter put the Chiefs in first and goal at the four-yard-line. Aftre a couple stops, the Cheifs were in third and goal from the 2 and Conley came up to assist with the stuff on a shovel to tight end Travis Kelce up the middle. They would go for it on fourth and goal at the one and be stuffed to turn it over on downs.

On a deep pass attempt late in the first half, Conley made the leaping interception to keep the Chiefs from building on their 21-3 lead. He would give up just one catch for 9 yards to the odds on MVP Pat Mahomes.

Dwayne Harris

After the Chiefs’ third touchdown to begin the second quarter, Harris took the ensuing kickoff, broke three tackles, and picked up 34 yards to set the Raiders up with great field position at the 45. In three plays they were in scoring range, but it ended with an interception.

Harris would do it again in the fourth quarter after the next Chiefs’ touchdown. He took the kickoff back 34 yards again to put the Raiders drive start at the 43. Again, the offense couldn’t take advantage of it.

In the third quarter, Johnny Townsend sent a punt toward the end zone and there was Harris to down it at the one-yard-line. Once again, he did his part, but the Raiders defense couldn’t take advantage, giving up an 89-yard touchdown pass.

Seth Roberts, Jordy Nelson

The longest catch for either of them was a 12-yard catch by Nelson. But neither of them are deep threats. And there really isn’t anyone who would fit that role on this team. They made the catches they needed to make to try and keep possession.

That 12-yard pass was his first catch of the day and he would finish with 9 catches for 78 yards. Roberts’ longest catch went for 10 yards on third and ten on their second possession. A few plays later, after an 8-yard catch from Nelson, Roberts laid a big block to spring Martin for five yards on third and two. But alas, the promising drive ended with the pick six.

Roberts would add a three-yard catch on third and three in the fourth quarter to finish with 5 catches for 31 yards.

Honorable Mention

Justin Ellis, Johnathan Hankins, Marquel Lee – After the interception return that set the Chiefs up in first and goal at the four-yard-line, these three kept the Chiefs out of the end zone. Even after an offsides penalty by Ellis put them in second and goal from the two, these three kept them from getting in. The three of them stuffed the next run for no gain, Marquel Lee and Conley stuff the inside shovel on third and goal, and Ellis and Hankins stopped the 4th and goal play for a loss and a turnover on downs.

Daniel Carlson – He was asked to make one kick and he made it. It was a 50-yarder, which was his third of the season, tying a career-high.

Continue to the Busters