On a chilly Sunday evening in Las Vegas, the Raiders gave their fans a finish to remember, edging out the Kansas City Chiefs 14-12 in a dramatic Week 18 contest at Allegiant Stadium. The victory not only snapped a daunting 10-game losing streak for Las Vegas but also marked their first-ever win over the Chiefs at their new home. It was a game that, on paper, had little riding on it for playoff aspirations, but for the Raiders, the stakes were all about pride, history, and perhaps a fitting send-off for head coach Pete Carroll.
Heading into the final week of the NFL regular season, the Raiders’ faithful had their eyes on two prizes: breaking their winless run against their AFC West nemesis at Allegiant Stadium and securing the coveted No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Thanks to the New York Giants defeating the Dallas Cowboys earlier in the day, the draft pick was in the bag before kickoff. That left the field wide open for the Raiders to chase a long-overdue home win against Kansas City, and the players responded with grit and determination.
“We had a lot of fun in the locker room, finally,” Pete Carroll declared after the game, his enthusiasm evident as he celebrated what might be his lone season at the helm in Las Vegas. Carroll’s future with the franchise remains uncertain, with multiple reports suggesting the Raiders are considering a change. Yet, the veteran coach made it clear, “Nobody’s talking to me about that. I haven’t said a word to anyone.”
The game itself was a tale of field goals, defensive stands, and a handful of big plays in the waning moments. Daniel Carlson, the Raiders’ reliable kicker and pending free agent, emerged as the hero. He nailed a career-long 60-yard field goal with only eight seconds left on the clock—his fourth successful attempt of the night—to seal the win. “There’s nothing better than winning on the last play of the game. There were a couple seconds left but it was a great finish for our guys,” Carroll said, gushing over Carlson’s performance. Even Carlson himself admitted, “For all the guys in the locker room, it’s been a tough season. There’s no way around that, but to end it like this, I think it was really cool to send everyone to the offseason on a good note.”
Both squads approached the finale with the caution of a preseason matchup, resting several key starters. The Chiefs, already out of postseason contention and missing Patrick Mahomes due to an ACL injury, rotated between quarterbacks Chris Oladokun and Shane Buechele. Oladokun started and completed 11 of 17 passes for 58 yards before Buechele took over in the second half, connecting on seven of 14 attempts for 88 yards. The highlight for Kansas City’s offense came when Buechele launched a 51-yard bomb to Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, the Chiefs’ leading receiver on the night.
On the ground, Chiefs rookie Brashard Smith led the way with 56 yards on 12 carries, while Nick Bolton anchored the defense with nine tackles. Defensive lineman Chris Jones made his presence felt, notching two sacks to bring his career total to 86.5—third most in franchise history. Rookie Nohl Williams added six tackles and a sack, and Chamarri Conner contributed four tackles and an interception in a losing effort.
For the Raiders, the night belonged to a few unsung heroes and a rising star. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty was a workhorse, amassing 87 yards on the ground and finishing his debut season with 1,321 yards from scrimmage—breaking the Raiders’ rookie record previously held by Josh Jacobs. “I thought he had a great year,” Carroll said of Jeanty. “I think he maximized the opportunities that he had. He came through in so many ways. It shows you not just the toughness, but the endurance, too.” Jeanty himself reflected, “It means a lot even though we haven’t had much success as a group, a team but we were still able to do some right.”
The quarterback carousel continued for Las Vegas as Kenny Pickett, starting in place of the injured Geno Smith, struggled early and was replaced by Aidan O’Connell in the second quarter. O’Connell, making his first appearance after recovering from a broken wrist, completed 10 of 22 passes for 102 yards. His 21-yard completion to tight end Michael Mayer in the final minute set up Carlson’s game-winning boot. O’Connell summed up the season’s grind: “I've been through a lot and I'm not the only one. Basically, everyone has. When you lose like this, it wears on teammates, coaches, family—all of it.”
Defensively, the Raiders shined when it mattered most. Edge rusher Tyree Wilson delivered a monster performance, tallying two sacks, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and a fourth-quarter safety that gave Las Vegas an 11-6 lead with under five minutes to play. “You can’t not talk about the kicker,” Carroll said, but Wilson’s effort was impossible to ignore. The Raiders’ defense racked up a season-high eight sacks, overwhelming Kansas City’s patchwork offensive line.
Drama unfolded in the closing minutes. After Wilson’s safety, the Chiefs clawed back with two field goals from Harrison Butker in less than three minutes, briefly taking a 12-11 lead. But with the clock winding down, O’Connell engineered a clutch drive, and Carlson’s leg did the rest, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Both teams fielded depleted rosters, with the Chiefs missing not just Mahomes but also key contributors like Isiah Pacheco and Xavier Worthy. The Raiders, too, were without stars such as Maxx Crosby, Brock Bowers, and Jeremy Chinn, all shut down for the season. Injuries and roster moves gave opportunities to younger and backup players, many of whom seized the moment.
As the dust settles on a tumultuous season, the Raiders finish at 3-14, tied for the league’s worst record but holding the top draft pick. Attention now turns to the offseason, where questions swirl around Carroll’s future and the team’s plans at quarterback. With speculation mounting about the selection of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza or Oregon’s Dante Moore, the pressure is on to turn the page for a franchise hungry for a new era.
For Kansas City, the defeat drops them to 6-11 and caps a disappointing campaign marred by injuries and inconsistency. The Chiefs, once perennial Super Bowl contenders, now look to regroup, hoping to welcome back a healthy Mahomes and reload for 2026. Longtime stars like Travis Kelce, who became just the third tight end to surpass 13,000 career receiving yards, face uncertain futures as well.
In the end, the Raiders gave their fans a rare moment to savor—a last-second win over their biggest rivals and a glimmer of hope heading into a pivotal offseason. The silver and black faithful will be watching closely to see what comes next, but for now, the losing streaks are over, and the future is officially on the clock.
