It was a near-ideal season finale for the Silver and Black. The Las Vegas Raiders closed the year with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs and did it without jeopardizing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
A win and the top pick. A rare double dip.
Now it is time to overreact.
That was a preseason game…
What was that game, exactly? Both teams split snaps at quarterback. The field was crowded with backups. The score stayed strange for most of the afternoon, built on field goals and a safety.
The feel was unmistakable. This looked less like a rivalry game and more like two staffs taking inventory for next season. For all practical purposes, it was the first preseason game of 2026.
It is hard to fault either side for treating it that way. The result carried little weight, even in terms of draft position. And that is the larger point: the NFL still has a problem with late-season games that do not matter.
Aidan O’Connell has a future with the Raiders
Fortunately for the Raiders, the No. 1 overall pick was effectively secured before kickoff. The outcome felt predictable the moment Aidan O’Connell stepped onto the field.
The difference was immediate. His decisions were cleaner, and the ball came out with more pace than what Las Vegas got this season from Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett. That context matters, even if it comes with a disclaimer: this was essentially a preseason game in regular-season clothing, so the performance should be taken with a grain of salt.
Still, O’Connell has done enough to make one point clear. There is a role for him in Las Vegas going forward.
That does not mean the Raiders should pass on a quarterback at No. 1. They should not, and they almost certainly will not. But O’Connell can fit as a steady bridge option, a reliable backup, and a veteran voice for whichever young quarterback the Raiders select. Smith and Pickett, meanwhile, look far more expendable.
Speaking of players the Raiders need to bring back next year…
Re-Sign Daniel Carlson
Daniel Carlson has not had his best year, and last season was not one of his strongest, either. Still, the Raiders kicker delivered when it mattered most, reminding everyone why he remains a viable option to keep the job.
With his contract nearing expiration, plenty of fans in Raider Nation are ready to move on. Not so fast. Carlson may no longer be the elite kicker he was a few years ago, but even at his worst, he has been roughly league average.
That matters, especially because the leg strength is still there. He can still hit from 55-plus, and he proved it again with a 60-yard game winner. If the Raiders want to bring in competition, fine. But they should also make a serious effort to retain Carlson.
Raiders fans have not had to live with a true kicking crisis in a while. Re-signing Carlson is a safer bet than gambling on creating one.
*Top Photo: Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press