FSM Recap: Raiders vs Chiefs - Week 18 - 2026 | After An Ugly Kicker's Duel, The Las Vegas Raiders End The Season With A 14-12 Win And The #1 Draft Pick

FSM Recap: NFL Regular Season Week 18 – Raiders vs Chiefs – 2026

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Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)  |  Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)

Having already locked up the #1 overall pick, the Las Vegas Raiders finished their season with a historic 14-12 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Finishing at 3-14, the Raiders head into another massive offseason, with roster and leadership questions sure to dominate headlines.

Raiders vs Chiefs – (Las Vegas, NV). For back-to-back weeks, the Las Vegas Raiders have the New York Giants to thank for helping them with their draft positioning. Last week’s loss to the Giants put the Raiders in the driver’s seat for the #1 overall draft pick, while New York’s win over the Dallas Cowboys officially clinched the pick for the Silver & Black before they had kicked off their season finale. Despite promises of contention early on, Raider Nation can celebrate the fact that the team secured the top pick, which should brighten their future and help fill a significant hole on their roster with a blue-chip prospect.

With their draft position solidified, the Las Vegas Raiders were free to do whatever they wanted against the Kansas City Chiefs. Riding a 10-game losing streak into this game, the Raiders had struggled all year to string together consistent performances. However, their long losing streak somehow began and ended with the Chiefs, as Las Vegas avenged a week 7 31-0 shutout with a 14-12 win in their season finale. This win ended their 10-game losing streak and an 11-game losing streak against AFC West opponents, and made the Raiders undefeated in 2026. Most importantly, this was the Silver & Black’s first win against the Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium, finally giving the home crowd something to celebrate after a long and arduous season.

Geno Smith missed his second game this season due to injury, having sustained a high ankle sprain in last week’s loss. Kenny Pickett started in his place, going 1/4 with an interception before Aidan O’Connell stepped in, getting his first taste of game action this year. Going 10/22 with 102 yards, he looked comfortable but uninspiring, just like much of the offense this week. Neither quarterback led a touchdown drive, as the offense scored only field goals in this matchup.

Looking to end his rookie season on a high note, Ashton Jeanty carried the ball a career-high 26 times, churning out 87 yards on the ground to finish his year with 975 yards, the second-most for a rookie in franchise history. Adding 7 yards on a trio of receptions, Jeanty did set the record for scrimmage yards by a rookie, topping Josh Jacobs’ 1,316 yards by 5 to end with 1,321 yards. Despite falling short of the 1,00-yard rushing mark, Jeanty had a historic season for the Raiders and flashed his playmaking potential, something that should help him become a dominant force for years to come.

Receiving-wise, the Raiders struggled to generate big plays, with their young draft picks Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton Jr. ending their frustrating rookie seasons without any stats in this matchup. Michael Mayer again led the team in receptions and yards, gaining 47 yards on a trio of catches. Tre Tucker followed closely behind with a pair of receptions for 30 yards. Both quarterbacks had their share of struggles against the Chiefs’ defense, and with little room for the receivers to work with, they struggled to get open and give Pickett and O’Connell wide-open targets.

Flipping to the defense, Las Vegas set a season-high with eight sacks against the Chiefs, making both Chris Oladukon and Shane Buechele run for their lives in the backfield and forcing them into bad throws. The Raiders limited Kansas City to 84 yards rushing and passing, leading to 168 total yards and no touchdowns. Tyree Wilson also forced a pair of fumbles, with Jamal Adams forcing one of his own, but the Silver & Black couldn’t grab an interception. However, in what could’ve been Travis Kelce’s final game, the secondary held him to 12 yards on three catches, with one of those becoming a fumble the Raiders couldn’t jump on. It was one of their better defensive efforts, surrendering four field goals and keeping the Chiefs in check all game.

First Quarter: A Slow Start Leads To A Chiefs Lead

The Chiefs began the game with the ball, going 3-and-out after Charles Snowden sacked Chris Oladukon on third down. The ensuing punt wouldn’t travel very far, setting the Raiders up near midfield.

After a short rush by Ashton Jeanty, Kenny Pickett’s first pass attempt of the game would be intercepted by Chamarri Conner, giving the ball right back to Kansas City.

The Chiefs and Raiders would then swap 3-and-out punts before Kansas City’s offense found some momentum. JuJu Smith-Schuster quickly moved them into Las Vegas territory, with Brashard Smith getting them to the edge of the red zone. The Raiders’ defense stood tall, forcing Harrison Butker to come out for a field goal, putting the Chiefs up 3-0.

Pickett used his mobility to gain a first down early in the Raiders’ next drive, but they stalled out near midfield, leading to another punt.

Travis Kelce caught a third-down pass to keep Kansas City’s next drive alive, as they looked to drive down the field as the quarter ended.

Second Quarter: The Raiders Take A Small Halftime Lead

The Chiefs wouldn’t gain another first down, punting the ball away early in the second quarter.

Aidan O’Connell then came into the game for the Raiders, but couldn’t help them gain a first down. Isaiah Pola-Mao couldn’t convert the fake punt attempt, as he was stopped 1 yard short of the first down, giving the Chiefs the ball deep in Las Vegas territory.

Marquise Brown got Kansas City’s next drive started with a short reception, but Tyree Wilson would strip-sack Oladukon, giving the Raiders the ball in Chiefs territory.

Jeanty then ripped off 24 yards on a quartet of carries, getting the Raiders into the red zone. O’Connell couldn’t get the offense into the red zone, but Daniel Carlson trotted out for a short field goal and a 3-3 tie.

After both teams traded punts, Wilson then forced Oladukon to fumble for the second time this quarter, gifting Las Vegas another red zone possession. They still couldn’t get into the end zone, but Carlson nailed his second field goal of the game for a 6-3 lead.

Tonka Hemingway made sure the Chiefs couldn’t get any points before the half, sacking Oladukon to end their drive and send the game into the break with a 6-3 Raider lead.

Third Quarter: The Chiefs Drain The Clock And Tie The Game

Michael Mayer started the half off with a bang, taking a pass from O’Connell 23 yards and moving into Kansas City territory. After O’Connell scrambled for 7 yards on a 3rd-and-8, Ashton Jeanty was stuffed on a fourth-down carry, turning the ball over on downs.

Shane Buechele then took over as quarterback for the Chiefs, immediately hitting Marquise Brown for a 10-yard gain. After finding Brashard Smith to get over midfield, Noah Gray took Buechele’s next pass to the edge of the red zone, but back-to-back sacks by Charles Snowden and Tonka Hemingway killed their momentum. Harrison Butker came out for a 40-yard field goal, and the Chiefs tied it up at 6-6.

Shedrick Jackson got the drive started with an 11-yard gain on an early third down, and Tre Tucker broke free for a 16-yard gain shortly after, getting right into Kansas City territory before the final quarter began.

Fourth Quarter: The Defense Clutches Up, And Carlson Puts The Nail In The Coffin

The offense couldn’t gain many more yards, but Daniel Carlson made up for it with a 55-yard field goal, putting Las Vegas back up 9-6.

Both teams swapped a pair of punts before the Raiders’ defense made a big play. With Kansas City backed up to their own 10-yard line, Tyree Wilson chased down Buechele in the end zone, giving Las Vegas a safety and putting them on top 11-6.

Dylan Laube then fumbled the ensuing punt, gifting the Chiefs a short field. Despite only moving backwards, Butker got his third field goal of the day, slicing the lead to 11-9.

The Raiders then went 3-and-out and punted it right back to the Chiefs, who took full advantage. Marquise Brown burned the defense for a 51-yard reception, giving Kansas City all the offense they needed before Devin White killed their momentum with a sack. Butker then came out for his fourth field goal of the day, putting the Chiefs back on top 12-11.

Mayer made another splashy play, taking a reception 21 yards to move the Raiders’ offense across midfield. Only gaining 5 more yards, Daniel Carlson came out for a career-long 60-yard field goal. Sailing straight through the uprights, Carlson put the Raiders on top 14-12.

The Chiefs couldn’t find a way to use the hook-and-ladder, “pitchy pitchy woo woo” play to their advantage, as Las Vegas shut them down and closed their season the same way they started it, winning for the first time in over two months with a 14-12 victory.

Raiders vs Chiefs – Final Thoughts: Fernando Mendoza, Please Be A Raider

Just like they started the year off, the Las Vegas Raiders ended their season with a surprising win. Finishing at 3-14, the Raiders only beat the New England Patriots, who finished as the AFC’s #2 seed in the playoffs, the Tennessee Titans, who ended the season with the #4 overall pick, and the Kansas City Chiefs, who played their third- and fourth-string quarterbacks. It was a long and trying season that saw its once-promising start come crashing down early on. However, all hope is not lost, as the #1 overall draft pick can help the team get on the right track as early as next season, provided it’s combined with several other key moves.

Despite the win, this was not an offensive performance to be proud of. Both Kenny Pickett and Aidan O’Connell failed to lead touchdown drives, resulting in four field goals and little production from the receivers. Ashton Jeanty finished his up-and-down rookie season on a high note, but failed to find the endzone or hit the 1,000-yard mark in rushing yards. However, with Brock Bowers back and healthy next season, the offense should take a step forward, as a new offensive coordinator is on the way, and offensive line reinforcements should be as well.

Defensively, the Raiders made up for the lack of Maxx Crosby this week, generating a season-high eight sacks in their season finale. Tonka Hemingway, Tyree Wilson, and Charles Snowden all registered 2.0 sacks, while Devin White added 1.5 and Malcolm Koonce provided the other 0.5. Wilson also forced a pair of fumbles, dominating the line of scrimmage and giving the offense more scoring opportunities.

Despite facing the third- and fourth-string quarterbacks, the Raiders should be proud of this defensive performance, allowing only 12 points, all via field goals. In addition, the fourth-quarter safety caused by Wilson ended up being the deciding factor in a game that became inconsequential before kickoff. It was the Raiders’ best defensive performance of the season, ending their nightmare of a year on a surprising high note.

As mentioned above, this game became inconsequential before the kickoff, as the New York Giants’ win guaranteed Las Vegas the #1 overall pick in next year’s draft. Now facing an offseason filled with questions, the Raiders can figure out how best to utilize the pick, but must first make other big decisions. Rumors have swirled about Pete Carroll being one-and-done as head coach, with the 3-14 season being the exact opposite of the contention that he promised. He already dismissed rumors of retirement and said he wanted to be back next season, but he’ll be 75 near the start of next season. Is he really the right man for the job, especially after a year of questionable calls and late-game decisions?

In addition, Geno Smith’s future with the organization is another question mark. Acquired in an offseason trade for a third-round pick, Smith was quickly signed to an extension, stamping him as the quarterback of the future. However, he then proceeded to make bone-headed throw after bone-headed throw, leading the league in interceptions thrown with 17, 2 more than Tua Tagovailoa’s 15. He threw only 19 touchdowns as well and didn’t look like a starting-caliber quarterback. Will Smith be one-and-done, even if Carroll is held on to, or will the team hold on to him and hope he can mentor a young quarterback or improve early next season?

Having the #1 overall pick in this draft should lead the Raiders to cut bait on both Carroll and Smith, opting for a complete reset and giving a new head coach the ability to select whichever quarterback they want. It should be an easy decision, as Fernando Mendoza, Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, figures to be the best prospect available. Fresh off a dominant Rose Bowl performance with just two incompletions, Mendoza would enter the draft having played in a pro-style system and with the ability to make throws at every level. While he would need a better offensive line than Las Vegas currently has, Mendoza should be the Raiders’ choice as the quarterback of the future, given every tool necessary to succeed.

The Silver & Black are on the clock, and while the choice should be easy, the Raiders never seem to make it that way. In addition, Mendoza might not go pro, and other top prospects, such as Oregon’s Dante Moore and Alabama’s Ty Simpson, may choose to do the same. If none of the top quarterback prospects enter the draft, the Raiders may choose to trade the pick for a haul of other picks or players and stock up for the future. If not, they can select another position of need, including offensive line or edge rusher, depending on what happens with Maxx Crosby. It’ll be another tumultuous offseason for Raider Nation, and with changes on the horizon for the second-straight year, expect the Raiders to field a very different-looking team when they hit the gridiron next season.

The Raiders now turn their attention to free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft, where they hold the #1 draft pick. Come back to FranchiseSportsMedia.com/raiders for all of your Las Vegas Raiders news.

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