The stadium was vibrating. Honestly, you could feel it in your teeth. If you were looking for what is the score to the raiders game on Sunday afternoon, you missed a bizarre, gritty, and ultimately cathartic piece of football history. The Las Vegas Raiders beat the Kansas City Chiefs 14-12.
Yeah. 14-12. In the year 2026, where every game feels like a track meet, we got a defensive slog that looked like something out of 1974.
The Raiders didn't just win a game; they snapped a soul-crushing 10-game losing streak. They did it with a kicker. They did it with eight sacks. And somehow, they did it while securing the number one overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. It was the weirdest "win-win" scenario you'll ever see in professional sports.
How the Scoreboard Actually Shook Out
Let's talk about that 14-12 final. It wasn't pretty.
Kansas City jumped out to a tiny 3-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a Harrison Butker field goal. Then things got quiet. Real quiet. The Raiders scraped together two field goals in the second quarter—Daniel Carlson doing what he does—to lead 6-3 at the half.
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If you were checking what is the score to the raiders game at halftime, you probably thought your app was broken.
The fourth quarter is where the wheels fell off the wagon for anyone who likes "normal" football. Tyree Wilson, who has had a rollercoaster of a season, pinned the Chiefs back and forced a safety. Suddenly it was 11-6. Then, Butker (who was basically the Chiefs' entire offense) hammered home two more field goals to put Kansas City up 12-11 with just over a minute left.
Then Daniel Carlson happened.
With eight seconds on the clock, Carlson stepped up for a 60-yard attempt. Sixty yards. His previous career long was 57. He drilled it. The ball cleared the crossbar with room to spare, ending the game at 14-12 and sending Allegiant Stadium into a complete frenzy.
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The Weird Logic of Winning and Losing
Normally, a 3-14 season is a disaster. It is a disaster. But the Raiders are in a unique spot.
Because the New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-17 earlier in the day, the Raiders had already locked up the #1 overall pick in the draft. They didn't need to "tank" the Chiefs game. They could actually go out and try to punch their biggest rival in the mouth without worrying about their draft slot.
- Final Record: 3-14
- Draft Status: 1st Overall Pick (Locked)
- Streak: 10-game skid snapped
- Rivalry: First win over Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium
Ashton Jeanty was a bright spot in the mud. He rushed for 87 yards, which doesn't sound like a "Madden" stat line, but it pushed him to 1,321 yards from scrimmage for the year. That’s a new Raiders rookie record, sliding past Josh Jacobs’ 2019 mark. Not bad for a kid playing in an offense that struggled to find its identity all year.
Who Played (and Who Didn't)
The quarterback situation was... well, it was a Week 18 situation. Aidan O’Connell got the start and went 10-for-22 for 102 yards. It wasn't exactly a clinic. On the other side, the Chiefs weren't exactly throwing their A-team out there for 60 minutes either. Chris Oladokun started for KC, eventually giving way to Shane Buechele.
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The real story was the Raiders' defense. Eight sacks. Tyree Wilson looked like the player everyone hoped he would be, recording two sacks and forcing two fumbles. Devin White even got in on the action with a crucial sack late in the fourth.
What Happens Now?
The season is officially over. No playoffs. No more checking what is the score to the raiders game for a few months. But the work is just starting in the front office.
With the first pick in the draft, the conversation is going to be dominated by quarterbacks. Do they take the "can't-miss" prospect? Do they trade down for a haul of picks to rebuild the offensive line?
We also know who they're playing next year. Since they finished last in the AFC West, they’ll be facing a "fourth-place schedule." That means home games against the Bills, Dolphins, and Titans (who also struggled this year). They'll have to travel to New Orleans and Cleveland. It's a long road back to relevance, but ending the season by beating Patrick Mahomes' squad—even a resting version of it—is a hell of a way to go into the offseason.
Your Post-Season Checklist
The Raiders are heading into one of the most important offseasons in the history of the Las Vegas era. If you're a fan, here is what you need to keep an eye on over the next few weeks:
- Monitor the Scouting Combine: Now that the #1 pick is secured, every move the top QBs make will be scrutinized through a Silver and Black lens.
- Coaching Staff Stability: Check for announcements regarding the defensive coordinator. After an 8-sack performance, there’s an argument for continuity, but the new GM might want a fresh start.
- Free Agency Targets: The Raiders have cap space. Look for them to target veteran offensive linemen to protect whoever they draft at #1.
- May Schedule Release: Mark your calendars for May, when the actual dates and times for the 2026 matchups against the AFC East and NFC West will be finalized.
The 14-12 win might seem like a footnote in a 3-14 season, but for the guys in that locker room, it was everything. It’s a lot easier to start a rebuild when you aren't carrying a 10-game losing streak into the summer.