LAS VEGAS (AP) — Patrick Mahomes didn't make many mistakes on Sunday, but one of his few errors could have cost the Chiefs the game.

He needed his defenses to come to his aid – and he did.

Kansas City also kept the Raiders off the scoreboard after first-and-goal at the 3-yard line, changing the tenor of the game and allowing the two-time defending champion Chiefs to continue their dominance in Las Vegas with a 27-20 win Victory to remain undefeated.

This sequence occurred late in the third quarter as the Chiefs were clinging to a 17-13 lead.

“In this situation, it’s easy to kind of let them get into the end zone because it doesn’t really matter to them,” Mahomes said. “It was the offense that put them in position, but they stood firm. The defense made a big contribution – stopping the clock and we were able to convert the momentum into a win.”

The Chiefs (7-0) extended their winning streak to 13 games, including the playoffs. Their last loss was at home to Las Vegas, but the Chiefs are 5-0 against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium and 6-0 there including the Super Bowl in February.

Las Vegas (2-6) has lost four straight games, but this was the first time the Raiders scored at least 20 points since a 20-16 win over Cleveland on Sept. 29.

Mahomes passed for 262 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 30,000 yards. He achieved this in his 103rd game; Matthew Stafford had reached this mark with 109.

Mahomes' top target was Travis Kelce, who had 10 catches for 90 yards, both season highs. He last caught double-digit passes on October 22, 2023, and that was his highest yardage performance since November 26.

Kelce also had a touchdown catch, his 75th, to pass Jason Witten and move into fifth place on the NFL tight end list. Kelce came just two points away from breaking Tony Gonzalez's team record.

Gardner Minshew completed 24 of 30 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns for Las Vegas but was sacked five times. Jakobi Meyers, who missed the previous two games with an ankle injury, caught six passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Minshew had the burden of leading an offense that had virtually no running game and finished with 33 yards, an average of 1.6 per carry. The Chiefs entered the game with the fourth-best run defense in the NFL, allowing 90.5 yards per game.

“For us, the No. 1 goal every week is to be able to stop the run,” Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis said. “We make them one-dimensional, that’s where we want to be.”

Las Vegas also had trouble getting the Chiefs off the field, allowing KC to convert 12 of 16 third downs. This gives the Commanders the second-highest rate in a game this season, behind the Bengals, who achieved a rate of 76.9% against the Eagles on Sunday.

However, the Raiders made the champions work for this win. But Las Vegas failed to capitalize on crucial opportunities

The Raiders had the ball at the end of the first half with 1:57 left on the clock, but entered the game with two running plays before getting an incomplete pass in the third. Kansas City got the ball back and moved 56 yards in nine plays for Harrison Butker's 42-yard field goal with four seconds left, making it 17-10.

Then there was this series in the third quarter.

Las Vegas was down four points when safety Tre'von Moehrig intercepted Mahomes' pass to give the Raiders the ball at the Chiefs 3. Running plays by Alexander Mattison resulted in plays of 2 yards, a zero gain and a loss of 2 yards before Minshew managed to get sacked on fourth down.

“(We’re) trying to get some physicality with our guys up front,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “You have to hit it right at the 3-yard line. Rally, sudden change. Should be able to knock the ball in.”

The Chiefs then gained 87 yards on 19 carries and took 9:43 to score another field goal from Butker, this one from 24 yards early in the fourth quarter, giving them a seven-point lead.

A strip sack by Minshew set up the Chiefs' final touchdown with 4:59 left and nearly sealed the victory, although the Raiders scored a TD just before the 2-minute warning to provide some drama. Kansas City then recovered the onside kick.

D-Hop makes its debut

Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was targeted three times and finished with two catches for 29 yards.

The Chiefs traded a conditional fifth-round pick to the Titans last week for Hopkins, a former All-Pro brought in to help a unit decimated by injuries.

“He wanted to be in there, which is a positive thing,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “He will get more chances in the next game.”

Injuries

Chiefs: S Nazeeh Johnson (concussion) missed the first half. TE Jody Fortson (knee) was also injured.

Raiders: C Andre James (ankle) injured in the second half.

Next

Chiefs: Host Tampa Bay on Monday, November 4th.

Raiders: At Cincinnati on Sunday.

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