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Quick Snap: Defense storms into Arrowhead, Raiders pick up holiday victory

On a chilly Christmas Day in Kansas City, the Raiders took home a hard-earned 20-14 victory over the Chiefs.

The Silver and Black kept the Chiefs in check early, allowing no first downs and -18 net passing yards in the first quarter, while also sacking Patrick Mahomes twice. The Raiders got on the scoreboard with a field goal, keeping the 3-0 lead through the first quarter.

While the weather stayed frosty, action started heating up in the second when the Chiefs scored their first touchdown of the day to take a 7-3 lead.

What followed was another display of the Raiders' defensive talent. With the Chiefs back on the field at their own 13 yard-line following a Raiders' punt, Isiah Pacheco fumbled the direct snap where it was scooped up by Bilal Nichols and returned eight yards for a touchdown.

"Guys are stepping up," Interim Head Coach Antonio Pierce said of the win. "Next man up mentality. Team football."

On the very next Chiefs play, Jack Jones intercepted Mahomes and ran it 33 yards into the end zone for back-to-back defensive touchdowns within seven seconds of each other. It marked the first time in franchise history that the Raiders have scored multiple non-offensive touchdowns in consecutive games.

The Raiders now have five defensive touchdowns in 2023 – the most in the NFL and most by the Raiders in a single season since 2000.

Malcolm Koonce had another stellar showing as he continues to grow into his role as a starter. After totaling two sacks against the Chargers, Koonce recorded three sacks on Mahomes to become the only player to ever sack the Chiefs QB three times in one game.

"Malcolm is really making a name for himself," Pierce said. "That's now three weeks in a row where he's really just like, wow. It's good to see, and just the effort, fighting through a lot of stuff but these guys, what I ask them to do, by any means necessary, at all counts, just find a way to get it done. And we did that.

The Raiders added a field goal in the third on their way to beating their second consecutive AFC West opponent. The last time that the Raiders had wins over AFC West opponents in consecutive weeks was Weeks 9 and 10 of the 2020 season where they beat the Chargers and then the Broncos.

The Silver and Black are back on the road next week for their last away game of the regular season against the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 31.

View photos from the Raiders' Week 16 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

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