Friday 9 December 2016 06:46, UK
Tyreek Hill's 78 yard touchdown punt return was the highlight of a blistering second quarter spell for the Kansas City Chiefs, who scored all of their 21 points in just nine minutes to beat the Oakland Raiders 21-13.
In 140 Characters...
Chiefs beat the Raiders thanks to 21 second quarter points, moving them to 10-3 and top spot the AFC West. Oakland drop from 1st seed to 5th in one game.
MVP
It was wide receiver Hill who was the difference for the Chiefs, with 99 yards on punt returns alone. He added 66 more in receiving yards, as well as the two all-important touchdowns.
Game-changer
From inside his own 20, Raiders punter Marquette King sent the ball back 55 yards down the centre of the field to Hill, who caught it and darted back past oncoming defenders. Finding a gap, Hill was barely touched as he streaked through for the 78 yard score, to put Kansas City 21-3 up at the half.
Stat of the night
0-7 - Derek Carr's MVP candidacy hit a bump in the road tonight. The Raiders quarterback was 0-7 on passes longer than 15 yards.
The game
The Raiders opened the scoring early, after Hill muffed the first punt of the night. Linebacker James Cowser recovered for the ball for the visitors, but they couldn't find the end zone and settled for a 44-yard field goal.
It wasn't until the second quarter when Kansas City got into their stride, scoring 21 consecutive points to build a healthy lead. It took Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith just five plays to move his team 70 yards, finding Hill for a 36-yard pass deep down the middle to score their first touchdown.
The home side made it 14-3 on their next drive, as Travis Kelce and Chris Conley caught passes for 28 and 31 yards respectively, before Charcandrick West finished the series with a three-yard touchdown run.
Hill added his second score of the night moments later. The Chiefs defence forced a three-and-out from the Raiders, and with the resulting punt, the rookie wide receiver took the ball 78 yards, almost untouched, into the end zone.
Oakland did manage to grab a touchdown of their own before the half was out. Latavius Murray finished the last drive of the quarter with a one yard run, after Carr used five different receivers to advance 92 yards in 14 plays.
Though Oakland converted another field goal early in the third quarter, they couldn't advance beyond a stoic Chiefs defence who contained MVP candidate Carr to just 117 passing yards.
It was the Chiefs QB Smith who had the run of the house, throwing for 264 yards and a touchdown. Despite one interception, it was fantastic display by the 11-year veteran, who proved he can be more than a game manager, with several deep throws to undo Oakland's secondary.
At 10-3, Kansas now move to the top of the AFC West, having beaten the Raiders twice to sweep this year's series. They occupy the second seed in the division, behind the New England Patriots, while Oakland fall from the number one spot down to fifth.
