Oakland Raiders' Playoff Hopes Take Critical Hit in Sloppy Week 13 Loss

Oakland Raiders safety Charles Woodson told local reporters that Sunday’s game against division-rival Kansas City Chiefs carried a playoff aura.

Woodson’s description explains exactly why he took the loss like a kick in the gut. According to San Francisco Chronicle writer Vic Tafur, the 18-year veteran defined his most recent defeat as one of the toughest to accept. 

The Raiders stood one quarter of smart, instinctive and productive football away from knocking the Chiefs out of a playoff spot and keeping their own hopes alive.

As a team, Oakland did enough in the first three quarters to beat Kansas City soundly.

The run defense held the opposition to under 100 rushing yards. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce only caught two passes for 42 yards. Although Kansas City’s No. 1 wideout Jeremy Maclin found holes in the pass defense, he didn’t score within the first 45 minutes of the contest. 

Furthermore, quarterback Derek Carr took care of the football and spread his targets among wide receivers and tight ends for the first three quarters. Running back Latavius Murray gave an early boost to the offense.

As the Raiders marched down to the Chiefs’ 33-yard line in the fourth quarter to potentially take a two-possession lead, it all unraveled. 

A flurry of interceptions and a missed field goal put the Raiders on the backburner as another team with potential for next season. It stings more so knowing this young team had a legitimate shot at bucking the learning curve and sneaking into the postseason as a contender. 

The feeling in Woodson’s stomach symbolizes the aching reality of finishing the season with nothing to look forward to after 16 weeks of sacrifice.

Nonetheless, like any game for the Raiders, there’s excellence, a silver lining and a black cloud.

Commitment to Excellence: Mack Attack

Defensive end Khalil Mack continues to climb the sack-leaders column. He’s logged nine sacks through 12 games and resembles one of the best pass-rushers in the league.

On Sunday, Mack logged two sacks and led the team in tackles. His presence allows other defensive linemen to rush the pocket with success. Rookies Mario Edwards Jr. and Ben Heeney also scored takedowns on Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith due to heightened awareness directed toward the Raiders' best defensive lineman.

As a solid tackler in the trenches, Mack contributes more than pocket pressure to the defense. He sealed the edges as a solid run-stopper, which helped the Raiders defend against Chiefs' dynamic running back Charcandrick West (nine carries, 35 yards). 

Without good field position, the Chiefs struggled to move the ball for a majority of the game. Although mobile, Smith couldn’t find comfort in the pocket, which gave the Raiders defense an early advantage.

Silver Lining: Run Defense Stands Tall

The Raiders run defense limped into this contest with major question marks. Oakland allowed 100 rushing yards to three of its last four opponents, so the Chiefs' combination rushing attack was a primary focus.

Oakland’s run defense didn’t reach impenetrable levels, but Kansas City didn’t walk all over the defensive line. 

As a team, the Chiefs failed to reach 100 yards for the first time in five games. 

Week	Opponent	Rushing Yards
Week 7	PIT	138
Week 8	DET	206
Week 10	@ DEN	106
Week 11	@ SD	153
Week 12	BUF	158
Week 13	@ OAK	89

Oakland stifled Kansas City’s strength but shortened the field on too many occasions to capitalize on the advantage.

Nonetheless, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. deserves credit for devising an effective plan to neutralize the offensive strength of a team literally steamrolling its competition en route to Oakland.

Black Cloud: Young, Talented and Flawed 

When the offense flowed harmoniously, Carr and rookie wideout Amari Cooper deservedly owned the spotlight.

The Raiders’ effective passing attack heightened expectations week-to-week, and most disregarded the youth behind the arm and hands carrying the offense. 

Cooper will likely eclipse 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie, but that doesn’t make him perfect or as reliable as a perennial Pro Bowler. 

He’s talented but flawed. He’s going to give you the "oohs and aahs" with incredible catches, but he’ll cause you to rage at your television on some critical drops. 

The same frustrations apply to Carr. He’s talented, confident and capable of making all types of throws. However, when he’s too confident, he may try to make an extra play that’s not available.

During the the postgame news conference, head coach Jack Del Rio told local reporters his quarterback went above and beyond his means, which factored into the fourth-quarter meltdown.

In most cases, you would want a quarterback to trust his arm but know the circumstance. 

On Sunday, the Raiders played a football game with playoff implications in December for the first time in four years. It’s Carr’s first rodeo in terms of high-stakes games in December. 

He’ll learn from this disheartening experience, but he’s due for more growing pains in his decision-making and ball placement against experienced teams loaded with talent.

Carr should be mentioned in a conversation concerning the next wave of talented quarterbacks in the league, but he’s still fine-tuning his accuracy and thought process in critical situations.

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All statistics are provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com, Pro Football Focus and Team Rankings, unless otherwise noted.