Las Vegas Raiders defense dominates Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense in Week 16

With their season on the line, the Las Vegas Raiders invaded Arrowhead Stadium looking to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Going into the game as an 11-point underdog, and playing on the road, the Raiders were expected to once again be a doormat for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense, but this team had other ideas.

From the start, the Raiders defense harassed Mahomes in the passing game, and it would be that side of the ball that turned this game on its head. The Raiders defense scored two touchdowns in a ten second span thanks to a scoop and score by Bilal Nichols, and a pick-six by Jack Jones.

For Jones, it was the second week in a row that he took an interception to the house for the Silver and Black.

In the end, the Raiders offense did just enough to stave off the Chiefs late in the game thanks to an incredible effort on the ground by Zamir White. While Aidan O'Connell struggled after the first quarter, he made plays that helped the team win, and at 7-8, the Raiders are very much alive in the AFC Playoff race.

Raiders Zamir White dominates the Chiefs on the ground

With O'Connell passing for only 62 yards, all of which came in the first quarter, the Raiders were only going to win if they got a huge game from White. The second-year back, playing in place of the injured Josh Jacobs, made a real case for more playing time, gashing the Chiefs defense to the tune of 145 yards on 22 carries.

While White was a huge story on Christmas Day, it was the Raiders defense that stole the show, and in a word, they have been downright elite as of late. There are two more hurdles for them to clear to finish the year on a four-game winning streak, and if they can get some help down the stretch, they certainly look like a playoff team right now.