It was a slow first quarter from the Chiefs and Raiders in the first of the NFL’s Christmas day games, as the Chiefs had negative offensive yardage in their first three drives and Vegas could only manage three points to capitalize on Kansas City’s slow start.
In the second quarter, the game came to life entirely with the Chiefs offense on the field, first with Kansas City’s offense springing to life with a touchdown drive they capped off with a tremendous trick play design that got Isiah Pacheco into the end zone untouched as the Raiders had eyes on a fake reverse to Patrick Mahomes.
QB Isiah Pacheco takes the snap himself and scores!
📺: #LVvsKC on CBS/NICK
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/2Mgsj0ajbL pic.twitter.com/swJ3ngzYCU— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
However, on the next Chiefs possession they went back to the well on some direct snap trickery and had disastrous results, as Pacheco and Mahomes fumbled an exchange and Bilal Nichols scooped it up for a Raiders touchdown.
A Christmas gift at the perfect time for the Raiders 🎁
📺: #LVvsKC on CBS/NICK
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/2Mgsj0ajbL pic.twitter.com/HgqHna9QI4— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
The Raiders dropped the snap on the ensuing extra point, making it just a two-point game, and the wild sequence continued on the very next play as Mahomes threw a dreadful pick-six to Jack Jones along the sideline — who then let Mahomes know all about it as he ran into the end zone.
Jack Jones has a pick-six in two straight weeks 😮
📺: #LVvsKC on CBS/NICK
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/2Mgsj0ajbL pic.twitter.com/zc1Gpbs51t— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
Vegas would then go for two and get it to make it a 17-7 game thanks to two defensive touchdowns in seven seconds of game time, as the Chiefs went from up four to down 10 without the Raiders offense doing anything. Things only got weirder on the Chiefs next drive, as they stalled out at midfield but picked up a fourth down conversion on a fake punt pass from Tommy Townsend to Justin Watson.
Fake punt and a diving catch by Justin Watson 🚨
📺: #LVvsKC on CBS/NICK
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/2Mgsj0ajbL pic.twitter.com/iBdfTij52D— NFL (@NFL) December 25, 2023
It was a truly wild sequence that set the stage for a fascinating day of Christmas football.