Raiders Pull Away From Chiefs, Advance to AFC Championship

LAS VEGAS, NV - The third meeting finally settled it.

After splitting the regular-season series with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Las Vegas Raiders delivered the decisive statement in the AFC Divisional Round, beating the Chiefs 34-20 behind a balanced offense, a punishing run game, and a fourth-quarter surge that sent Allegiant Stadium into celebration. The Raiders had lost 24-14 at home in Week 6 before winning 35-21 in Kansas City in Week 13, but this playoff rematch belonged to Max Farias' team when it mattered most.

Las Vegas will now face the winner of the Chargers-Steelers matchup in the AFC Championship Game.

"This was the one that mattered most," Farias said. "We knew the first two games gave both teams something to study, but playoff football is about who adjusts, who finishes drives, and who handles the fourth quarter. Our guys did that tonight."

Raiders Set the Tone, Chiefs Answer Early

Las Vegas opened the game with a physical message, striking first on a one-yard touchdown run before Kansas City answered late in the first quarter. Patrick Mahomes found Xavier Worthy for a seven-yard touchdown with 1:15 left in the opening period, tying the game at 7-7 and giving the Chiefs an early reminder that their passing game could still create answers.

The Raiders did not blink.

Desmond Newman settled in during the second quarter and found Brock Bowers for a 24-yard touchdown with 1:49 remaining, giving Las Vegas a 14-7 lead. Kansas City responded with a 22-yard Harrison Butker field goal in the closing seconds, but Daniel Carlson answered with a 57-yard field goal as time expired, sending the Raiders into halftime ahead 17-10.

"That was a big swing before halftime," Newman said. "Anytime you can get points right before the break, especially in a playoff game, it changes the energy in the locker room."

The Raiders carried that momentum into the second half, and their ability to keep Kansas City chasing the game became one of the defining themes of the night.

Las Vegas Controls the Middle of the Game

The third quarter was not flashy, but it favored the Raiders.

Carlson added a 46-yard field goal with 2:14 left in the quarter to stretch the lead to 20-10. Butker answered with a 52-yarder just under a minute later, trimming the deficit to 20-13, but Kansas City never found the offensive rhythm it needed near the red zone.

The Chiefs finished with 360 offensive yards, including 339 net passing yards, but managed only 21 rushing yards and converted just 4 of 11 third downs. They also failed on both fourth-down attempts, a costly issue in a game where Las Vegas kept extending possessions.

"We moved the ball between the 20s, but we didn't finish enough drives," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. "Against that team, field position and third downs matter. They were better in those areas tonight."

Las Vegas, meanwhile, was excellent on third down, converting 8 of 11 attempts. That efficiency allowed the Raiders to control the tempo and keep Mahomes waiting on the sideline for long stretches.

Jeanty and Thornton Break It Open

The fourth quarter belonged to Las Vegas.

Ashton Jeanty opened the final period with a 15-yard touchdown run, pushing the Raiders' lead to 27-13 with 9:17 remaining. Jeanty finished with 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, averaging 7.6 yards per attempt and giving Kansas City problems every time Las Vegas leaned into the run game.

"We wanted to be physical," Jeanty said. "This was the third time seeing them, so there were no secrets. It came down to execution, and our line gave me lanes all night."

Then came the knockout shot.

With 7:10 remaining, Newman hit Dont'e Thornton Jr. for a 73-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 34-13 and putting the Chiefs in desperation mode. Thornton finished with five catches for 125 yards and a touchdown, while Bowers added five catches for 74 yards and a score.

Newman ended the night 17-of-29 for 272 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. His biggest throws came in the moments Las Vegas needed separation.

"Desmond stayed aggressive," Farias said. "He made a couple of throws that changed the game, and the one to Thornton was exactly what we needed at that point."

Mahomes Produces, But Chiefs Cannot Finish

Mahomes threw for 352 yards and a touchdown on 27-of-41 passing, avoiding interceptions and spreading the ball across the field. Marquise Brown led Kansas City with eight catches for 100 yards, while Jimmie Searles added five catches for 87 yards and Worthy caught the Chiefs' lone offensive touchdown.

Still, the Chiefs could not turn enough of that production into points.

Their only second-half points came from Butker's 52-yard field goal and a late defensive touchdown, when Ashton Gillotte recovered a fumble in the end zone with 2:01 remaining. That score cut the deficit to 34-20, but by then the Raiders had already built too large of a cushion.

"We had chances," Mahomes said. "The yardage was there, but the scoreboard is what matters. They made the plays in the red zone and on third down, and we didn't."

Kansas City's defense forced two turnovers, including a Nick Bolton interception and Gillotte's fumble recovery touchdown, but the Chiefs still could not slow the Raiders enough in the fourth quarter.

Raiders Move One Win From the Super Bowl

The win sends Las Vegas to the AFC Championship Game and gives the Raiders the final word in a season-long battle with Kansas City.

After three meetings, the Raiders and Chiefs each had moments, but Las Vegas delivered the most complete performance when the stakes were highest. The Raiders outgained Kansas City 442-360 offensively, rushed for 179 yards, and finished with 25 first downs in one of their strongest playoff performances under Farias.

"We're not done," Farias said. "This is a big win because of who it came against and what was on the line, but the goal is bigger than one playoff game."

For Kansas City, the season ends after a hard-fought divisional matchup that slipped away in the second half. For Las Vegas, the road continues, with the Chargers-Steelers winner coming next and a Super Bowl berth now one victory away.

Up Next

The Raiders will play the winner of the Chargers vs. Steelers matchup in the AFC Championship Game. Kansas City's season ends in the Divisional Round after falling 34-20 in Las Vegas.