They didn’t get off to a very good start in Sunday’s 31-17 road victory over the Las Vegas Raiders — they fell behind 14-0 — but they rallied to beat their AFC West opponents handily and improve to a division-leading 8-3.

Here’s our report card from Sunday’s Week 12 NFL game at Allegiant Stadium:

KC STAR OF THE GAME

Wide receiver Rashee Rice turned in the best game of his rookie season, piling up 107 yards receiving and collecting his fifth touchdown. That TD, in the fourth quarter, came on a crossing route. Patrick Mahomes hit Rice in stride, Marquez Valdes-Scantling threw a good block, and Rice raced to the end zone for a 39-yard scoring reception.

Next: The Chiefs return to prime-time next weekend when they visit the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. The game will be aired on NBC (Channel 41 in Kansas City). The Packers are coming off a 29-22 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. These teams last met in 2021, with the Chiefs winning 13-7 at Arrowhead.

REPORT CARD

Passing offense: A

The Chiefs heated up when Mahomes started to find tight end Travis Kelce. Consecutive snaps in the second quarter produced 51 yards, including a double-pitch 23-yarder that set up the Chiefs at the Las Vegas 7-yard line. Mahomes’ 3-yard touchdown pass to Justin Watson came with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike-conduct flag against Watson for jawing with Robert Spillane, who had decked Watson earlier in the play.

A Rice drop killed a third-quarter drive, but he made up for it early in the fourth with a catch-and-run that turned into a 39-yard touchdown reception — the Chiefs’ second fourth-quarter touchdown of the 2023 season.

The Chiefs’ screen game was strong, especially with Isiah Pacheco on the receiving end.

Pass protection was excellent most of the day. Raiders star Maxx Crosby, who hadn’t practiced all week and had been listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game, recorded a third-quarter coverage sack.

Rushing offense: B

This might have been a run-first type of game against the NFL’s 27th ranked rushing defense, but it wasn’t. Still, the Chiefs’ short-yardage effort was excellent. Pacheco picked up a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs, and his 5-yard run on a third-and-1 went behind tackle Wayna Morris, who had replaced an injured Donovan Smith for a few plays.

Passing defense: B

Hat’s off to Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell, the rookie from Purdue who was starting his fifth game. The Raiders’ quick-throw attack kept him from getting sacked until George Karlaftis dropped him for a 13-yard loss in the fourth quarter. Raiders wide receivers Jakobi Meyers and Davante Adams helped the young quarterback by making difficult catches. The Chiefs’ pressure got there in the fourth quarter as their lead started to grow.

Rushing defense: C

The Chiefs have excelled in not surrendering the big play, but there went Raiders running back Josh Jacobs for a 63-yard touchdown to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead. Jacobs has had some big games against the Chiefs in his career, and this was another one. He finished with 110 yards rushing on 20 carries.

But the Chiefs came up with the game’s biggest stop: Chris Jones stuffed Jacobs on fourth-and-1 from the Raiders’ 17. The play lost 2 yards and set up the Chiefs’ final score.

Special teams: A

Excellent coverage and tackle by Jack Cochrane when the Chiefs were forced to kick off from the 20 after their second touchdown. The Raiders started from their own 27.

Field-goal defense? The Chiefs caught a break when Raiders placekicker Daniel Carlson missed a 30-yarder. Leading 7-0 at the time, Las Vegas passed up a fourth-and-2 at the 12.

Jacobs and the Raiders’ running game had gashed the Chiefs, who caught a break on the missed field — and perhaps something bigger when the Raiders passed up the fourth-down attempt.