The Las Vegas Raiders ended their season with a 14-12 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, yet still secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. Daniel Carlson’s 60-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining provided the winning margin.
The win snapped two lengthy droughts: a 10-game losing streak overall and an 11-game skid against AFC West opponents. The Raiders’ previous victory came in Week 6 against the Titans, and they had not beaten a division foe since the 2023 season finale against the Broncos.
“We really wanted to get rid of the AFC West thing,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll said. “It’s somewhat of an accomplishment in that regard.”
The Raiders (3-14) knew before kickoff that they would have the top draft pick regardless of the outcome, after the Giants (4-13) defeated the Cowboys earlier in the day. It marks only the third time in franchise history the Raiders hold the No. 1 selection, and the second since joining the NFL.
“It means everything,” linebacker Jamal Adams said. “Sometimes you want to go out the right way. Clearly, we’ve had a rough season.”
Pass rush dominates without Maxx Crosby
The Raiders recorded a season-high eight sacks, even without star defensive end Maxx Crosby. Tyree Wilson had the best game of his career with two sacks, five tackles, two forced fumbles, and a safety when he tackled Chiefs quarterback Shane Buechele in the end zone.
“The sack that Tyree had on the safety was just a perfect friggin’ sack,” Carroll said. “And it happens to be for points, too. The heat was there.”
Rookie defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway added a career-high two sacks and three quarterback hits, while Charles Snowden contributed two sacks. Hemingway said, “It felt good team-wise and personal-wise. It wasn’t perfect, but just trying to get better every time.”
Aidan O’Connell gets first action of season
Third-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who broke his wrist in the preseason and had been inactive since Week 12, finally saw the field. He completed 10 of 22 passes for 102 yards and led the game-winning drive.
“It was great for a lot of guys that have been through a lot this year,” O’Connell said. “I’ve been through a lot, and I’m not the only one. Basically, everyone has. When you lose like this, it wears on teammates, coaches, families, all of it.”
With the Raiders expected to move on from Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett in the final year of his contract, O’Connell is likely the only quarterback under contract, positioning him as a potential bridge to the team’s future draft pick.
