Daniel Carlson delivered a season-ending jolt, and perhaps secured his next contract, with the longest kick of his career as the Las Vegas Raiders stunned the Kansas City Chiefs 14–12 on Sunday.
Carlson drilled a 60-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining, lifting the Raiders (3–14) to their first win over Kansas City at Allegiant Stadium and snapping a 10-game losing streak. The kick surpassed Carlson’s previous career long of 57 yards and capped a back-and-forth battle dominated by defense and special teams.
Both kickers carried the scoring load for much of the afternoon. Carlson and Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker each converted four field goals, with Butker’s 41-yarder giving Kansas City a brief 12–11 lead with 1:01 to play. That advantage lasted only until the Raiders moved into range for Carlson’s decisive boot.
The victory also ended Las Vegas’ 11-game skid against AFC West opponents. For Kansas City (6–11), the loss extended a late-season spiral that included a sixth consecutive defeat and eight losses in its final 10 games.
Las Vegas rookie running back Ashton Jeanty paced the offense with 87 rushing yards, finishing his season with 975 on the ground and 1,321 yards from scrimmage — a franchise rookie record. The Raiders struggled to generate consistent offense at quarterback, however. Kenny Pickett started in place of the injured Geno Smith but completed just one pass before being replaced by Aidan O’Connell, who returned from injured reserve and finished 10 of 22 for 102 yards. O’Connell’s 21-yard completion to Michael Mayer set up Carlson’s game-winner.
Defensively, the Raiders were relentless. Tyree Wilson recorded two sacks, forced two fumbles and delivered a fourth-quarter safety that put Las Vegas ahead 11–6. The Raiders finished with a season-high eight sacks. Kansas City countered with a strong effort from Chris Jones, who notched two sacks to move into third place on the franchise’s all-time list.
The Chiefs rested several key contributors and were without quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew, both sidelined by knee injuries. Chris Oladokun made the start, throwing for 58 yards before giving way to Shane Buechele in the second half.
The outcome did little to change the Raiders’ draft position, Las Vegas had already clinched the No. 1 overall pick earlier in the day, but it provided a rare bright moment at the end of a difficult season. For Carlson, it may have been a timely reminder of his value, while the Raiders headed into the offseason with at least one dramatic memory to build upon.
