If you were looking for the latest kansas city football game score, you probably weren't expecting to see a 12-14 loss against the Raiders to end the season. It’s been a weird year. Honestly, seeing a team that has dominated the AFC West for so long finish with a 6-11 record feels like a glitch in the matrix.
But that's where we are. On January 4, 2026, the Kansas City Chiefs walked off the field at Allegiant Stadium with their sixth straight loss. It wasn't a high-flying offensive masterclass. It was a gritty, sometimes ugly, defensive struggle that came down to a career-long kick.
The Final Score and How It Went Down
The game ended 14-12 in favor of the Las Vegas Raiders.
It was one of those games where neither team could really find the end zone. If you like field goals, you were in luck. Harrison Butker and Daniel Carlson basically turned the game into a personal duel. Butker hit a 41-yarder with just about a minute left to give the Chiefs a 12-11 lead. For a second there, it looked like the skid was finally over.
Then Daniel Carlson happened.
With only eight seconds left on the clock, Carlson stepped up and nailed a 60-yard field goal. Sixty yards. That’s his career long. It didn’t just win the game for Vegas; it snapped their own 10-game losing streak and gave them their first-ever win against the Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium.
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A Quick Scoring Breakdown
The first quarter started slow with a lone Chiefs field goal. Vegas answered back in the second with two of their own, making it 6-3 at the half. The third quarter was more of the same—just one field goal for KC. The fourth quarter is where things actually got a little spicy.
Vegas managed to find a way to put up 8 points in the final frame, while the Chiefs put up 6. No touchdowns for Kansas City. That’s the stat that really bites. When you can't get into the end zone, you're leaving your fate in the hands of the other team's kicker. And on that Sunday, that was a dangerous bet.
Why the Kansas City Football Game Score Matters Right Now
The 12-14 result was more than just a Week 18 loss. It officially capped off a 6-11 season.
For a fan base used to deep playoff runs and Super Bowl parades, this is uncharted territory. The Chiefs haven't just been losing; they've been struggling to find an identity on offense. In the finale, we saw Chris Oladokun start at quarterback. He went 11 for 17 for 58 yards before Shane Buechele took over in the second half.
Buechele finished 7 of 14 for 88 yards.
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When your leading receiver is Marquise Brown with 64 yards and Travis Kelce is held to just 12 yards on three catches, you know the rhythm is off. The Raiders' defense, led by Tyree Wilson (who had two sacks and two forced fumbles), basically lived in the KC backfield.
The Playoff Vacuum
Because of this kansas city football game score, the Chiefs are obviously out of the postseason. While teams like the Bills, Broncos, and Chargers are moving into the Divisional Round this weekend, the staff in Kansas City is looking at draft boards.
It’s a bizarre feeling. Usually, by mid-January, the city is covered in red and everyone is talking about the AFC Championship. Instead, the conversation is about why the team lost eight of its last ten games.
The Silver Linings (If You Can Find Them)
Is it all bad? Kinda, but maybe not entirely.
The defense actually played well enough to win most of these late-season games. Holding an opponent to 14 points should usually result in a victory in the modern NFL.
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- Harrison Butker remains elite: He was 4-for-4 in the finale. He’s been the most consistent part of the team.
- The Draft Positioning: While the Raiders clinching the No. 1 overall pick was the big draft news (thanks to a Giants win over the Cowboys), the Chiefs will have their highest pick in years.
- Defensive Stability: Even in a loss, the unit didn't break. They kept the game within reach until the final eight seconds.
What’s Next for Kansas City?
Now that the 2025-2026 season is officially in the books, the focus shifts to the front office.
The immediate next steps involve evaluating the quarterback room and the receiving corps. The struggle to move the ball in the air was the defining characteristic of the final stretch. You can't win in this league averaging 3.3 yards per play, which is what the Chiefs put up against the Raiders.
If you are tracking the kansas city football game score for betting or fantasy purposes, the "under" has been a gold mine lately. Four of their last five games went under the total.
For the fans, it's a long offseason of "what-ifs." But in the NFL, things move fast. The roster you see in Week 18 is rarely the one you see in training camp. The focus now turns to free agency and the draft to ensure that next year, the January scores involve playoff wins rather than season-ending heartbreaks.
Immediate Actions for Fans and Analysts:
- Monitor the 2026 NFL Draft Order: The Chiefs are positioned for a top-15 pick, which is a rare opportunity to grab a blue-chip offensive weapon or tackle.
- Watch the Coaching Carousel: Keep an eye on any potential shifts in the offensive staff as the team looks to fix the scoring drought.
- Review the Free Agent List: With several key contracts coming up, the team needs to decide who stays and who goes to free up cap space for a veteran playmaker.