Las Vegas Raiders starter speaks up and takes the blame for end-of-game debacle against the Chiefs
Man, what a game for Black Friday. The Las Vegas Raiders, who have been the league's worst team this year, almost beat the back-to-back defending champions at their place. The Kansas City Chiefs are now 11-1, but almost lost to the Raiders, which would have been a very bad look for a team that is […]
Man, what a game for Black Friday. The Las Vegas Raiders, who have been the league's worst team this year, almost beat the back-to-back defending champions at their place. The Kansas City Chiefs are now 11-1, but almost lost to the Raiders, which would have been a very bad look for a team that is trying to go for a three-peat.
As for the Raiders — no one likes moral victories, but in a 2-10 season, this game should definitely be looked at as one. The Raiders drove the ball down the Chiefs' throat with two minutes left in the game, no timeouts, and were in prime position to win the game, giving the Chiefs no time to try and win it. Oh, and did I mention that Aidan O'Connell played maybe the best game of his career, and the run game was actually dominant with the first and second-string RBs out?
But, a crazy play that almost never happens happened. And that's going to take away from all of the good the Raiders showed. Now the question is more focused on whose fault the end of the game was.
"The clock was running down, I was trying to get the guys lined up," O'Connell started to tell the media after the game. "We were just going to just throw the ball and try to get the clock down and get the field goal. It was completely my fault.
"I was looking out to make sure the guys were set and I was clapping, in my head, I was thinking to signal the ball, to get the ball, but that's when I started clapping basically telling Jackson to snap the ball. Jackson did exactly what he should have done. I clapped too early. And yeah, that's just how the football bounces sometimes. But there's really no one to blame but myself."
The Raiders really played a magnificent game. Sure, the score may not look like it, but the Chiefs have a great defense and great offense, and are considered the best team in the league. The Raiders nearly won. I know I have said that a few times already, but just think about that — this is a team that is set to potentially have the best pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
I'm still not really sure what happened at the end of the game. Between the Arrowhead crowd going ballistic and the ref signaling a false start instead of a backward pass fumbled and recovered by KC, and everyone just in pure shock, I still don't know what to think.
But O'Connell is taking the blame.
The Raiders will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next and then the Atlanta Falcons before they play the Jacksonville Jaguars, another team fighting for that top pick in the draft.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce gives an update on Aidan O’Connell before Black Friday matchup
It will be cutting it close.
