If you’re looking for the latest kansas city's football score, honestly, it’s a tough pill to swallow for the Kingdom. The season ended not with a bang, but with a 60-yard gut punch in the desert.
14-12.
That was the final. The Las Vegas Raiders defended their home turf at Allegiant Stadium on January 4, 2026, and in doing so, they officially slammed the door on a Kansas City season that most fans would probably rather forget. It wasn’t just a loss; it was the team’s sixth straight defeat. For a franchise that spent the last half-decade planning Super Bowl parades, finishing 6-11 feels like a glitch in the Matrix.
What Happened to Kansas City’s Football Score?
The game itself was a defensive slog that felt more like 1926 than 2026. Kansas City actually had the lead. Harrison Butker, who has basically been the only consistent part of the scoring machine lately, drilled a 41-yard field goal with just 1:01 left on the clock.
The score was 12-11. For a moment, it looked like the skid was over.
But then Daniel Carlson happened. He’s the Raiders' kicker, and he decided to have a career day right when it hurt Kansas City the most. With eight seconds left, he lined up for a 60-yarder. He’d never hit one that long in his life—his previous best was 57. He nailed it.
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Breaking Down the Box Score
You’ve gotta look at the quarterback situation to understand why the kansas city's football score stayed so low. Patrick Mahomes wasn't on the field for this one. Instead, we saw Chris Oladokun get the start, followed by Shane Buechele in the second half.
The offensive production was... well, it was meager.
- Chris Oladokun: 11 of 17 for 58 yards.
- Shane Buechele: 7 of 14 for 88 yards.
- Total Passing: 146 yards.
When you aren't throwing touchdowns, you're relying on your kicker. Butker was 4-for-4 on the day. He provided every single one of Kansas City’s 12 points. While that’s impressive for a kicker, it’s a recipe for disaster in the modern NFL.
Why the Final Record Matters
The 14-12 result in Week 18 left the Chiefs at 6-11. They finished third in the AFC West, only ahead of the 3-14 Raiders. It’s the first time in over a decade that the team hasn't been a factor in the postseason conversation as January rolls around.
Compare that to the top of the division. The Denver Broncos finished 14-3. The Chargers finished 11-6. Both of those teams are currently playing in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, while Kansas City is at home looking at mock drafts.
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A Quick Look Back at the 2025-2026 Season
People keep asking how the scoreboards got so ugly this year. It wasn't always this bad. They actually started the season with some hope, sitting at 5-3 after beating the Commanders 28-7 in late October. Then the wheels didn't just fall off—they disintegrated.
They lost to Buffalo. They lost to Denver (twice). They even lost a Thanksgiving heartbreaker to the Cowboys, 31-28. By the time they hit December, the high-flying offense that defined the Andy Reid era looked sluggish. Injuries played a part, sure, but there’s a deeper "retooling" happening that caught everyone off guard.
How to Track Future Kansas City Football Scores
If you want to keep tabs on the rebuild, you need to know where the numbers are coming from. Most people just Google it, but the nuance is in the "how."
- The Official App: The Chiefs’ official app is the fastest for real-time play-by-play.
- Local Broadcasts: If you’re in the KC area, 106.5 The Wolf is still the go-to for the radio call.
- Sportsbooks: Honestly, even if you don't bet, checking the "Over/Under" before a game gives you a better idea of what the kansas city's football score might look like than any expert column.
Misconceptions About the Low Scoring
A lot of people think the defense was the problem. Not really. Holding an NFL team to 14 points should usually result in a win. The real issue was the "Red Zone" efficiency—or the total lack of it. Against the Raiders, the Chiefs had two trips into the red zone and came away with exactly zero touchdowns.
When you settle for field goals, you leave the door open for a 60-yard miracle. That's exactly what happened.
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What’s Next for the Team?
The season is over. No playoffs. No more scores to check until the preseason starts in August 2026. The focus has shifted entirely to the front office.
Immediate Priorities:
- The Quarterback Room: Deciding how to handle the depth chart behind Mahomes is priority one.
- The Draft: With a 6-11 record, they'll have a much higher pick than they’ve had in years.
- Free Agency: They need a vertical threat. The 146 yards of passing in the finale proves that the dink-and-dunk era is hitting a wall.
Basically, the 14-12 kansas city's football score from January 4th was the final chapter of a "reset" year. It’s a low point, but for a team with this much history, it’s usually the prelude to a very loud comeback.
For now, the best thing to do is keep an eye on the 2026 NFL Draft order. Kansas City is finally picking early enough to grab a franchise-altering talent on the defensive line or at wide receiver. Watch the scouting reports coming out of the Combine in February; that’s where the next winning score will actually start to take shape.