If you're looking for the raiders score for today, January 16, 2026, you might be a little surprised to find the stadium lights are actually dimmed.
The Las Vegas Raiders aren't playing today. They're done. Their 2025-2026 campaign wrapped up technically on January 4th, leaving the Silver and Black with a 3-14 record that most fans are frankly trying to forget. It was a rough ride. Honestly, "rough" might be an understatement when you're staring at the bottom of the AFC West.
But while there isn't a live whistle blowing today, the scoreboard from their final outing is still the talk of the town.
The Final Raiders Score for Today’s Post-Season Reality
In their season finale at Allegiant Stadium, the Raiders managed to pull off a literal last-second shocker against the Kansas City Chiefs. The final score was 14-12.
It wasn't a touchdown fest. Far from it.
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Daniel Carlson, who had been struggling with consistency all year, basically turned into a superhero for ten seconds. He hammered home a 60-yard field goal with only eight seconds left on the clock. That kick didn't just win the game; it snapped a 10-game losing streak that was starting to feel permanent.
The game was a defensive slog. Imagine sitting through three hours of field goals and punts. Kansas City’s Harrison Butker was equally busy, hitting four field goals of his own. But the Raiders' defense actually showed up, recording a safety when Tyree Wilson sacked Shane Buechele in the end zone.
That safety proved to be the difference. Two points. That's all it took.
Why Everyone Is Talking About the Raiders Right Now
Even though the team is sitting on the couch during the playoffs, the "score" people are keeping now involves the front office.
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Pete Carroll’s one-year experiment in Vegas is officially over. He went 3-14, and the team is currently in the middle of a massive head-coaching search. As of yesterday, January 15, the team has already interviewed a laundry list of candidates including:
- Jesse Minter (Chargers Defensive Coordinator)
- Ejiro Evero (Panthers Defensive Coordinator)
- Kevin Stefanski (Former Browns Head Coach)
- Matt Nagy (Chiefs Offensive Coordinator)
There’s a lot of noise about Tom Brady—who has a minority stake in the team—having a huge say in who leads this squad next.
The Raiders are sitting on the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. That is a massive deal. Most experts, including those over at BetMGM, are pointing toward Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the locked-in top choice. If the Raiders land him, the "score" for the 2026 season might look a whole lot different than the 14-12 nail-biters we saw this month.
What Most Fans Get Wrong About the 2025 Season
You’ve probably heard people say the Raiders are just "bad." It's easy to look at 3-14 and check out.
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However, they lost a staggering number of games by a single possession. They lost 25-24 to the Bears. They lost 30-29 to the Jaguars in overtime. They even kept it within two points against a very strong Texans team in Week 16.
The talent is there, specifically in the backfield. Ashton Jeanty put up 87 yards on 26 carries in that final win over the Chiefs. He’s been a workhorse. The problem? The quarterback carousel. Between Kenny Pickett and Aidan O'Connell, the passing game never found a rhythm.
What Happens Next?
If you're checking the raiders score for today because you're planning your betting or fantasy strategy for next season, keep an eye on March 11. That’s when the new league year starts and the Raiders have about $90 million in cap space to burn.
They have 24 players hitting free agency, including Daniel Carlson and Zamir White. Whether the new coach wants to keep the old guard or wipe the slate clean is the biggest question in Vegas right now.
For now, the Raiders are "winning" the offseason by having the most resources to fix a broken ship. The 14-12 win over KC gave the fans a tiny bit of hope, but the real score will be settled in the draft room this April.
Immediate Steps for Raiders Fans:
- Track the Coaching Hires: Monitor the "Raiders Head Coach Candidate Tracker" on the official team site; Minter and Evero are the current front-runners.
- Watch the National Championship: If you want to see the future of the Raiders, watch Fernando Mendoza and Indiana. He’s the guy most likely to be wearing Silver and Black next fall.
- Salary Cap Updates: Keep an eye on the $90 million cap space—if they don't land a big-name veteran receiver early in free agency, expect them to trade back or go heavy on defense in the later rounds of the draft.