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In what is a microcosm of the Las Vegas Raiders‘ 2024 season, head coach Antonio Pierce’s squad couldn’t overcome its self-inflicted wounds in a 19-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13.
Despite three missed field goals from kicker Daniel Carlson, the Raiders still had a chance to upset the Chiefs in the closing seconds. Las Vegas got the ball back for one last opportunity with under two minutes remaining and drove from their own eight-yard line all the way to the Chiefs’ 32 and into field goal range.
However, disaster ensued, as center Jackson Powers-Johnson snapped the ball before quarterback Aidan O’Connell was ready, which led to a fumble and a Kansas City recovery to seal the Chiefs’ narrow victory.
After the loss, Powers-Johnson took full responsibility for the botched snap.
O’Connell also took responsibility, saying it wasn’t JPJ’s fault because he called for the snap too early.
“It’s completely my fault,” O’Connell said. “I was looking out to the right, making sure guys were set and I started clapping… In my head, I was thinking signal the ball to get the ball, but when I start clapping, it tells Jackson to snap the ball.
“Jackson did exactly what he should have done and I clapped too early and that’s just how the football bounces sometimes… There’s really nobody to blame but myself, so, that’s probably the hardest part to swallow.”
Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said he wasn’t sure what happened on the botched snap, but his explanation for why the Raiders ran a play there instead of going for the field goal immediately was bizarre, to say the least.
“Last play there was a lot going on,” Pierce said. “I gotta look at the film”
While this is just the latest frustrating chapter in what has been a disastrous season for the Raiders, the good news is that Las Vegas improved its draft positioning to No. 2 after the loss, according to Tankathon.
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