The 2014 Raiders were not exactly a classic raider team to say the least. They fired Dennis Allen as HC after an 0-4 start. They were starting rookie QB Derek Carr after he out played Matt Schaub in camp (some of the memes on Schaub from that season are some of the all time classics) .
The Raiders lost their first 10 games in 2014 under Allen and interim coach Tony Sparano. They had lost 16 straight games going back to 2013!!
Thus enter this Thursday night game against the Chiefs who entered with a strong 7-3 record.
The game started in a downpour which slowed down the Chiefs offence. It benefited the Raiders run heavy game plan with them jumping out to a 14-0 lead on Latavius Murray (who was getting his first start of his NFL career) TD runs of 11 and 90 yards. This made the third Raider after Bo Jackson and Terrell Pryor as players with runs of 90 yards or more in Raiders history (it should be noted that Kenny King did have a 89 yard run in 1980). Murray would finish the day with 112 yards on only 4 carries and 2 TDs, but would leave the game early due to a concussion.
With Murray out the rain subsiding it would slow down the raiders offence and help KC. Darren McFadden ran only 12 times for 29 yards. KC scored 20 of the next 23 points in the game on TD passes to TE Anthony Fasano and a screen pass to RB Jamaal Charles. Alex Smith would finish the day 20 for 36 234 yards 2 TDs and 0 Ints. Jamaal Charles finished with 122 yards and a TD. It should be noted that the KC offence would make history in 2014 by not throwing a TD pass to a WR the entire year!
The Raiders offence finally came alive on the final drive which featured FB Marcel Reece Running the ball instead of McFadden, Reece would end the day with 8 carries for 37 yards with most of them coming on that final TD drive. Derek Carr hit James Jones for a TD to go ahead 24-20. Carr finished the game 18 for 34 174 yards and a TD. Andre Holmes and Jones led the Raiders with 5 catches each for 55 and 47 yards.
On Chiefs final drive a near NFL Football Follies moment broke out when Sio Moore sacked Alex Smith. Khalil Mack and Moore began to celebrate behind the LOS while Smith got back to the line quickly and snapped the ball forcing an offside call. Luckily Justin Tuck, the heady veteran (who led the Raiders with 5 sacks that season), called a time out before the snap saving the Raiders from the penalty. This forced KC into an eventual 4th and 13 and an Alex Smith incompletion ended the Raiders 16 game losing streak!
Since this game in 2014 the Raiders have only beaten KC twice, in 2017 at home (their last home victory against KC) and in 2020 on the road. This loss would send KC on a 2-4 record to end the season at 9-7 and miss the playoffs. This is the only season they have missed the playoffs in Andy Reid’s tenure as KC head coach.