Raiders End the Season with a Bang vs. Chiefs (Plus 닌자티비 Fan Reactions) 🏈
Daniel Carlson, you absolute legend—what a way to end the chaos!
You know those games that are so messy they actually loop back around to being incredible? That was exactly what went down between the Raiders and the Chiefs this past Sunday. I mean, we are talking about a 14-12 final score that felt more like a defensive slugfest from the 1980s than a modern NFL shootout. It was the Week 18 season finale, and honestly, the vibes were weird from the start. The Chiefs have been spiraling, losing five straight coming into this one, and the Raiders were just trying to salvage some pride in front of the home crowd at Allegiant Stadium. If you missed it because you were busy prepping for the week or just emotionally checked out of the season, don’t worry, I have got you covered with all the juicy details.
Let’s be real for a second—this game was not a masterclass in offensive football. It was a game defined by the guys with the cleanest uniforms: the kickers. Both Harrison Butker for Kansas City and Daniel Carlson for Las Vegas were the MVPs for the vast majority of the sixty minutes. It felt like every time an offense crossed the fifty-yard line, the drive would stall, and out would come the special teams unit. Butker was nailing them from all over, hitting from 36, 40, 47, and 41 yards. On the other side, Carlson was matching him kick for kick. It was this tense, back-and-forth ping-pong match where touchdowns felt like an endangered species. I was actually scrolling through the discussions on 닌자티비 midway through the third quarter, and everyone there was joking about how this might be the first game in history to end with only field goals. The sports community there is always pretty quick with the memes, and seeing fellow fans bond over the lack of touchdowns was honestly the highlight of the mid-game lull.
But then things got a little spicy in the fourth quarter. The Raiders defense, which has had its ups and downs this year, decided to wake up and choose violence. Tyree Wilson, who has been under a microscope for a while, had himself a day. He sacked the Chiefs quarterback Shane Buechele right in the end zone for a safety. That two-point play was huge! It wasn't just about the points; it was the energy shift. Suddenly, the Raiders had a weird 11-9 lead, and the crowd in Vegas actually had something to scream about. It is rare to see a safety play such a pivotal role in a game, but in a low-scoring affair like this, those two points were basically gold.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Raiders-Chiefs game without a little late-game drama. The Chiefs managed to drive down and get yet another field goal from Butker with just over a minute left on the clock. So there we were, sitting at 12-11, Chiefs on top. It felt like the classic heartbreak script was being written again. The Raiders had no timeouts left, not a lot of time on the clock, and they needed to get into field goal range. The tension was palpable. You could feel it through the screen. Aidan O'Connell and the offense had to scramble, making quick throws to the sidelines to stop the clock. It was chaotic and frantic, and for a second, it looked like they weren't going to make it.
And then came the moment of truth. With just seconds ticking away, the Raiders trot out Daniel Carlson for a 60-yard attempt. Now, 60 yards is no joke. That is a monster kick in any stadium, but with the game on the line? The pressure must have been immense. I was holding my breath, and I’m not even on the team. The snap was good, the hold was good, and Carlson absolutely crushed it. The ball sailed through the uprights with room to spare as the clock hit double zeros. Pandemonium. Pure chaos. The Raiders sideline erupted, and Allegiant Stadium went bonkers. It was a walk-off winner to end a tough season on a high note.
After the game, I hopped back onto 닌자티비 to see the post-game reactions, and the sports fans there were losing their minds. It is always cool to see that raw emotion from the community, especially after such a stunning finish. People were calling it the "Kick of the Year" and praising the team for not giving up despite having a rough record. It is moments like that—where a community of fans comes together to celebrate a wild ending—that make following sports so much fun. Even though the season is over for both teams (yeah, the Chiefs missing the playoffs is a whole other story), that final kick gave everyone something to smile about heading into the offseason.
Speaking of the Chiefs, what is going on there? Losing six straight games to end the season is a disaster for a team with their pedigree. They played a lot of backups in this game, resting guys and trying to see what they had in the depth chart, but still. The offense looked disjointed, and the vibe just seems off. Travis Kelce had a quiet game, and with all the rumors swirling, you have to wonder if we just watched his last game in a Chiefs uniform. It is going to be a very interesting few months for Kansas City as they try to figure out how they fell off so hard.
As for the Raiders, this win doesn't fix everything, but it definitely helps the morale. Tara, tambay muna tayo dito ☕https://ninjatv1.carrd.co/ Finishing 3-14 isn't what anyone wanted, but beating your bitter division rival to close out the year? That is sweet. It gives the fans a little bit of hope and some bragging rights for the next few months. Plus, seeing rookie running back Ashton Jeanty run hard and break records was a silver lining. He looks like he could be a real player for them in the future.
Since this was the last game of the season for both squads, there is no "next week" to predict, which is kind of sad. But if I had to look into my crystal ball for the future, I would say the next time these two teams meet in the 2026 season, the Chiefs are going to be on a revenge tour. I don't think Mahomes (who didn't play this game) is going to take this losing streak lightly. I expect Kansas City to reload and come out angry next September. For the Raiders, the offseason is going to be all about finding a permanent answer at quarterback. If they can get that sorted, they might actually be competitive next year. But for now, they can just enjoy the fact that they sent the Chiefs home with a loss.
Honestly, even though the stats were ugly and the touchdowns were nonexistent, I loved the drama of this game. It was a reminder that in football, it ain't over until the clock hits zero (or until the kicker splits the uprights from 60 yards out). It was the perfect, weird, chaotic way to wrap up the regular season. Now we have a long offseason of rumors, draft talk, and rebuilding to look forward to.
I would love to hear what you guys thought about that final kick! Did you think he had the leg for it, or were you already accepting the loss? Drop a comment below and let’s chat about it!
