It's Week 18 and there's little-to-no national attention being given to Sunday's matchup at Allegiant Stadium. Even fans of the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders are having a hard time feigning interest.
While nearly everyone would have expected the Raiders to be mired in misery at the end of another season, the Chiefs have joined them in the lower half of the AFC West for most of the season. Both teams could have top-10 NFL Draft selections in April, and with numerous starters out for both sides, announcers and fans will have a hard time even recognizing some players on the field.
But this week remains an important one all the same, even if the focus is not on postseason positioning. Instead, both teams are going into Week 18 with an eye on 2026 and the potential that could be on display in younger players on Sunday.
Can Chiefs rookies utilize a bit more playing time to leverage momentum toward their sophomore seasons? Can backups rise up when given the chance to sub for injured starters? The stakes might feel low in Week 18, but it's a vital developmental step all the same. Here are our predictions for Week 18.
Our writers' predictions are here for an uninspiring matchup between the Chiefs and Raiders in Week 18.
Price Carter
It’s Raiders Week, one of the most historic rivalries in football. These two teams have no love lost between them. I expect this game to be a knock-out, drag-out brawl of passion for 59 minutes. Then, in the final seconds, Aidan O’Connell leads a drive into field-goal range. All he has to do is spike the ball to set up the game-winning kick. Instead, he fumbles the snap (again), and it goes rolling across the Allegiant Stadium turf. Ashton Jeanty and Zacch Pickens race for the ball as it’s kicked all the way toward the end zone. It turns into a footrace to scoop it up, and in a final moment of strength, Kevin Knowles bats it through the back of the Raiders’ own end zone. The sea of red goes wild. Women are crying. Children are speechless. The Chiefs do the unthinkable. Chiefs 2, Raiders 0
Matt Conner
It's hard to imagine any single unit looking all that good on Sunday for either team. Stars are out on both sides and lessons will be learned in real time. With that said, I think the home team will take this in a game that will feel like a fitting end to a miserable Chiefs season. Raiders 13, Chiefs 10
Bransen Gibson
Is it odd that I'm actually looking forward to watching a 6-10 Chiefs team face a Raiders team that's 2-14 and could have the first overall pick? Because strangely, I am. This season has been a struggle, but ending it with a win over a hated division rival that's had an even worse one would finish things on a very small high note. The Chiefs will win and feed Kelce two TDs. Chiefs 24, Raiders 10
Lyle Graversen
The Chiefs would be better served to lose this game and will likely play more young and unproven players than in their last couple of games. Unfortunately they're playing a Raiders team that's still likely to field a far worse team than KC. Chiefs 20, Raiders 13
Braden Holecek
The Chiefs do not have most of their talented pieces available or firing on all cylinders. The Raiders lack talent. A Raiders' loss means Las Vegas "earns" the number one overall pick. Depending on other results, the Chiefs could end up as high as 8th or 9th in the draft order. Would it really shock me if Kansas City lost again? No. The Raiders are just that bad. KC gets win number seven. Chiefs 17, Raiders 9
Scott Loring
Yeah, the Chiefs are bad. But the Raiders are even more bad, and the championship mettle of this Chiefs roster flexes its muscle in the season finale. Isiah Pacheco rips off 199 yards from scrimmage and the Chiefs finish 2025 on a high note, pulverizing the hapless Raiders. Chiefs 27, Raiders 6
Greg Morse
Chris Oladokun solidifies his status as QB2 next year with a performance that finally makes Geno Smith a permanent QB2 next year. The Chiefs get their final win in the Roomba stadium, and a miserable season mercifully comes to an end. Chiefs 21, Raiders 3
Charles Robinson
There is a distinct difference in these two teams facing off on Sunday: the Chiefs are (I think) a good team that has lost their way and been decimated by injuries and stale philosophies, whereas the Raiders are just bad. Vegas is very clearly tanking for the top pick, and the Chiefs have a chance to land inside the top 10 of April's draft as well. But with the way the Chiefs battled against the Broncos last week, I don't see their competitive spirit laying down in an attempt to get to the 8th or 9th pick. Chiefs 27, Raiders 9
Lucas Strozinsky
The Raiders stink more than the Chiefs, so they'll lose. Chiefs 17, Raiders 13