LAS VEGAS — Eight seconds left. Down by one. Sixty yards of turf between Daniel Carlson and redemption.
The Raiders kicker had already made three field goals in a scoreless slog against Kansas City. This one would need to travel farther than any kick in his seven-year career. Carlson stepped into it, and the ball sailed through the uprights as time melted away. Raiders 14, Chiefs 12.
For the first time in 11 weeks, Las Vegas (3-14) walked off winners. The 10-game losing streak that defined their season died on a career-long boot from a pending free agent who may have just kicked his way into a new contract.
“For all the guys in the locker room, it’s been a tough season,” Carlson said afterward. “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.”
The victory marked the first time the Raiders beat Kansas City (6-11) at Allegiant Stadium and snapped an 11-game skid against AFC West opponents. Both teams showed up depleted and disinterested in a Week 18 finale that carried zero playoff implications. Neither scored a touchdown. Together they gained just 372 yards.
But the final 70 seconds delivered enough theater to justify the 61,780 who showed up.
Table of Contents
How a Preseason Game Turned Into High Drama
Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker buried a 41-yarder with 1:01 remaining to give the Chiefs a 12-11 lead. The Raiders had 61 seconds and one timeout to move into field goal range against a defense that had recorded just three sacks all night.
Aidan O’Connell, making his first appearance since breaking his wrist in September, hit Michael Mayer for 21 yards over the middle. Two plays later, the Raiders called timeout with 12 seconds left. Carlson jogged onto the field facing a 60-yard attempt that would either end the season on a high note or leave Las Vegas winless in its final 11 games.
The kick split the uprights with room to spare.
“There’s nothing better than winning on the last play of the game where all but a couple seconds left,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll said. “It’s a great finish for our guys.”
The finish belied what preceded it. Both teams sat key players. Kansas City arrived without Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew, each sidelined with knee injuries. Xavier Worthy, Isiah Pacheco, George Karlaftis and others got the week off. The Raiders held out Geno Smith, Raheem Mostert, Kolton Miller and several others.
Chris Oladokun started at quarterback for the Chiefs and went 11-of-17 for 58 yards before giving way to Shane Buechele, who managed 7-of-14 for 88 yards. Kenny Pickett started for Las Vegas and completed one pass for three yards with an interception before O’Connell took over.
Raiders vs Chiefs Match Player Stats: The Numbers
Passing Performance
| Player | Team | Completions | Yards | TD-INT | Sacks | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aidan O’Connell | LV | 10-22 | 102 | 0-0 | 1 | 59.3 |
| Shane Buechele | KC | 7-14 | 88 | 0-0 | 5 | 69.9 |
| Chris Oladokun | KC | 11-17 | 58 | 0-0 | 3 | 70.2 |
| Kenny Pickett | LV | 1-4 | 3 | 0-1 | 2 | 0.0 |
O’Connell’s return provided the only genuine storyline beyond the final score. He spent most of the season on injured reserve after suffering a broken wrist. His 21-yard connection with Mayer set up Carlson’s winner.
“I’ve been through a lot and I’m not the only one,” O’Connell said. “Basically, everyone has. When you lose like this, it wears on teammates, coaches, family — all of it.”
Ground Game Results
Ashton Jeanty carried 26 times for 87 yards in what could be his final audition before Las Vegas selects his potential replacement with the first overall pick in April’s draft. The sixth overall selection in 2025 finished his rookie campaign with 975 rushing yards, second in franchise history among first-year backs to Josh Jacobs’ 1,150 in 2019.
More impressive: Jeanty’s 1,321 yards from scrimmage broke the Raiders rookie record Jacobs set at 1,316. He did it behind a patchwork offensive line and in an offense that ranked 31st in scoring.
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Average | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashton Jeanty | LV | 26 | 87 | 3.3 | 12 |
| Brashard Smith | KC | 12 | 56 | 4.7 | 14 |
| Kareem Hunt | KC | 5 | 14 | 2.8 | 4 |
“I thought he had a great year,” Carroll said. “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.”
Receiving Leaders
| Player | Team | Catches | Yards | Targets | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Brown | KC | 3 | 64 | 6 | 51 |
| Michael Mayer | LV | 3 | 47 | 5 | 23 |
| Noah Gray | KC | 3 | 30 | 5 | 13 |
| Tre Tucker | LV | 2 | 30 | 6 | 16 |
Travis Kelce caught three passes for 12 yards. The 36-year-old tight end became the third player at his position to reach 13,000 career receiving yards but hasn’t confirmed whether he’ll return for a 14th season.
Defense Controlled Everything Until It Didn’t
The Raiders sacked Kansas City quarterbacks eight times. Tyree Wilson led the charge with two sacks, two forced fumbles and six tackles. His fourth-quarter safety on Buechele gave Las Vegas an 11-6 lead that seemed insurmountable given the offensive output.
Charles Snowden and Tonka Hemingway each recorded two sacks. Devin White added 1.5 sacks in a performance that showed what the Raiders defense could do when the offense gave them short fields and clock-killing drives.
Kansas City managed just three sacks but got two from Chris Jones, who reached 86.5 for his career to move into third place in franchise history.
Defensive Standouts
| Player | Team | Tackles | Sacks | Forced Fumbles | Pass Deflections |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Bolton | KC | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyree Wilson | LV | 6 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Tommy Eichenberg | LV | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Devin White | LV | 6 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 |
The game featured no touchdowns, eight field goals, one safety and 372 combined yards. Both teams converted under 25% on third down. Neither crossed the red zone successfully.
The Kicking Duel
Carlson and Butker combined to go 8-for-8 on field goals, the only points in a game that resembled October baseball more than January football.
| Kicker | Made-Attempted | Long | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Carlson (LV) | 4-4 | 60 | 12 |
| Harrison Butker (KC) | 4-4 | 47 | 12 |
Carlson connected from 23, 32, 55 and 60 yards. His previous career long stood at 57. Butker hit from 36, 40, 47 and 41 yards. The difference came down to Carlson’s final attempt having more distance than anything Butker tried all night.
What Comes Next
The Raiders already knew before kickoff they’d hold the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The New York Giants beat Dallas 34-17 earlier in the day, guaranteeing Las Vegas the first selection regardless of how this game played out.
Carroll’s future remains uncertain. The franchise didn’t schedule his typical day-after availability, fueling speculation about potential changes after going 3-14 in his first year. He was hired to bring his championship credentials from Seattle and USC to the desert. Instead, he presided over the worst season in franchise history since moving to Las Vegas.
Kansas City finished 6-11 after appearing in five of the previous six Super Bowls and winning three. The Chiefs lost six straight games to close out the year and dropped eight of their final 10. They hope to get Mahomes healthy and return to contention after a season that exposed their lack of depth.
“Nobody wants a season like this,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “But they’re obstacles. They come into play, and you’ve got to work through those. There’s a learning curve here that you can set with some of the experiences we had for all of us and then never do it again.”
Team Totals
| Category | Kansas City | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 168 | 204 |
| First Downs | 10 | 12 |
| Third Down | 3-17 | 4-16 |
| Fourth Down | 1-1 | 0-2 |
| Sacks Allowed | 8 | 3 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Penalties | 7-45 | 2-10 |
| Possession Time | 29:16 | 30:44 |
Both franchises head into the offseason with more questions than answers. The Raiders will likely use the top pick on a quarterback. The Chiefs need to rebuild a roster that couldn’t stay healthy or competitive.
But for one night in Las Vegas, none of that mattered. Carlson’s kick gave everyone in silver and black something to smile about, even if it came in a season where smiles were hard to find. The pending free agent may have earned himself a new deal. The Raiders ended their losing streak. And 61,780 fans went home happy, which counts for something even when the wins don’t matter in January.
