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Kansas City Chiefs Clutch Up, Las Vegas Raiders Collapse: A Tale as Old as Time

The Kansas City Chiefs would seem to have already used five years of good luck this season, but the football gods just keep delivering more.

The Chiefs didn’t wait until the last play to get their good fortune this time, but a botched snap by the Los Angeles Raiders on Friday and a recovery by the Chiefs with 11 seconds left qualifies as another stunning dose.

The Raiders were at the Kansas City 32-yard line and in position to attempt a go-ahead field goal when the Chiefs again received late-game magic. That 19-17 escape marked Kansas City’s ninth victory by single digits this season—a new NFL record.

Five of Kansas City’s victories have been determined on the final play of the game: two made field goals, one rushing touchdown in overtime, one blocked field goal and one opponent touchdown overturned.

Now they get this latest win where Raiders center Jackson Powers-Johnson unexpectedly snapped the ball. It caromed off the upper right arm of quarterback Aidan O’Connell, and the Chiefs’ Nick Bolton recovered it to leave Las Vegas stunned and make Kansas City (10-1) the first team to clinch a playoff spot.

Kansas City blew a 16-3 lead against the lowly Raiders (2-10), who scored two touchdowns to move ahead before the Chiefs got a go-ahead field goal from Matthew Wright.

Five days earlier, the Chiefs blew a 14-point lead against the horrid Carolina Panthers before needing a field goal as time expired to win.

So we’re seeing that Kansas City isn’t a formidable team. Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes said the Chiefs need to get better. I think we all agree with him.

Not to be forgotten is that Kansas City wobbled a lot last season. After their Week 10 bye, the Chiefs lost four of their next six games to fall to 9-6, and people were wondering what was wrong.

Kansas City finished 11-6 and beat the Miami Dolphins in the wild-card round when the temperature was minus-4 (feels like minus-27) at kickoff. Then it won road games against the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens before notching an overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

So after ‘what’s wrong with the Chiefs?’ was the big late December question, these guys rallied to win the whole darn thing.

That makes it difficult to assess the current Chiefs. They are playing a lot of close games and also playing down to the competition.

But only the powerful Buffalo Bills have beaten them.

As for the Raiders (2-10), they lost their eighth straight game since beating the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 29.

Las Vegas has lost five games by double digits during the stretch, and the one place where Friday’s loss helps is that it improves the chances of gaining the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Quarterback Aidan O’Connell was back after breaking his right (throwing) thumb in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams. He fared well by throwing for two touchdowns and a career-high 340 yards.

With Gardner Minshew (collarbone) done for the season, the Raiders need to study O’Connell the rest of the campaign so they can make this decision: Is he our quarterback of the future, or do we need to find one?

There are certainly things to like about O’Connell. When the Raiders were down 13 points, this game could have gotten away fast. But O’Connell picked up his play and made some big-time throws.

Rookie tight end Brock Bowers caught 10 passes for 140 yards and he is a definite future star.

But looking at the total picture, this is a miserable season for Las Vegas. The Raiders even lost at home by 14 points to the Panthers.

You have to wonder if coach Antonio Pierce will keep his job. He did a good job last season by going 5-4 after taking over, but there isn’t much good to dig up this time around.

Perhaps he deserves a second full season out of fairness, but you know what can happen when keeping a coach out of charity? Another double-digit loss season.

On Friday, that was a game the Raiders were in position to win. Then snap—it wasn’t.

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Minnesota United blank Timbers for 3rd straight win

MLS: Portland Timbers at Minnesota UnitedApr 18, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota United FC forward Kelvin Yeboah (9) shoots the ball as Portland Timbers defender Finn Surman (20) and defender Brandon Bye (5) defend during the first half at Allianz Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Tomas Chancalay had a goal and an assist as the Minnesota United won their third match in a row with Saturday night’s 2-0 victory against the Portland Timbers at Saint Paul, Minn.

Kelvin Yeboah scored the other goal, making it three matches in a row that he has a goal for the Loons (4-2-2, 14 points). Minnesota goalkeeper Drake Callender made two saves for the clean sheet.

Yeboah has half of his team’s 10 goals in MLS play. He’s the team’s only player with more than one goal.

James Pantemis made five saves for Portland (2-5-1, 7 points), which fell to 0-4-0 in road matches.

Chancalay scored his first goal of the season in the 16th minute off Jefferson Diaz’s assist.

Yeboah’s goal in the 60th minute capped a fastbreak with a short-range shot after Chancalay provided the final pass. Chancalay has four assists this year.

Portland has surrendered two or more goals in each of its last three road matches.

The Timbers began a busy stretch that includes several road assignments with a largely solid game despite failing to score. They held a 4-3 edge in corner kicks and a 55%-45% possession advantage, but Minnesota outshot the visitors 17-12, including 7-2 on shots on target.

The teams played to a 1-1 draw last August in the same stadium.

Portland stays on the road next Saturday, visiting San Diego FC. Minnesota plays twice next week, visiting FC Dallas on Wednesday before hosting LAFC on Saturday.

–Field Level Media

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Troy Johnston's clutch double leads Rockies' comeback win over Dodgers

MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado RockiesApr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker (23) is congratulated by designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) after a two-run home run during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Troy Johnston hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning and the Colorado Rockies held on for a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night in Denver.

Johnston had three of Colorado’s seven hits as the Rockies won for only the second time in nine games.

Kyle Tucker and Dalton Rushing homered for the Dodgers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Shohei Ohtani was 1-for-4 to extend his on-base streak to 50 games.

Brennan Bernardino (2-0) delivered 1 1/3 no-hit innings in relief, and Victor Vodnik pitched the ninth for his third save.

Will Klein (1-1) allowed hits to each of the first three batters he faced in the sixth, including Johnston’s game-winning double.

The first two Dodgers reached in the eighth against Jaden Hill and they loaded the bases with two outs before Hill retired Max Muncy on a groundout to second base.

Colorado starter Ryan Feltner went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and five hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

Los Angeles starter Emmet Sheehan gave up two runs on four hits in five innings, with two walks and four strikeouts.

The Dodgers led 2-0 two pitches into the game. After Ohtani hit the first pitch into play and reached on an error by Johnston, Tucker drove the first pitch he saw into the second deck in right for his third home run with the Dodgers.

TJ Rumfield’s RBI single made it 2-1 in the bottom of the first.

Rushing’s solo homer with one out in the second restored the two-run lead.

Kyle Karros’ sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning made it 3-2, scoring Johnston, who had singled, stolen second and moved to third on a groundout.

The Dodgers threatened when Freddie Freeman tripled with one out in the visitor’s half of the sixth. But Karros at third dove to stop Teoscar Hernandez’s grounder down the line, retiring him at first. Bernardino replaced Feltner and struck out Muncy to end the threat.

The Dodgers threatened with a pair of two-out singles in the ninth before Tucker’s flyout to left ended the game. Los Angeles was hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position, stranding eight in the narrow loss

–Field Level Media

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Flyers emerge with win over Penguins in opening tussle of playoff series

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh PenguinsApr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York (8) checks Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) in front of Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) during the first period against in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Porter Martone scored a timely goal late for the Philadelphia Flyers, who skated away with a 3-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series on Saturday night.

Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia. Trevor Zegras, Denver Barkey, Rasmus Ristolainen, Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny registered assists.

Dan Vladar stopped 15 shots for the Flyers, none bigger than a point-blank stop on Anthony Mantha in the closing seconds to preserve the win.

Evgeni Malkin scored his 68th postseason goal for the Penguins and assisted on Bryan Rust’s goal. Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson earned assists.

Stuart Skinner faced 20 shots and made 17 saves.

The postseason renewal of the Battle of Pennsylvania was exactly that for the two teams ending lengthy playoff droughts. It was a physical affair that featured just 26 shots on goal and 59 hits through the first two periods. That favored the Flyers, who finished the season fourth in the league in hits.

Martone, the 19-year-old who joined Philadelphia from Michigan State on March 31, scored what appeared to be an insurance goal with 2:37 left that gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead. That prompted Pittsburgh to pull Skinner for a sixth attacker.

A tussle between Penguins star Sidney Crosby and Sanheim sent both to the penalty box with 1:09 left, and Rust made it a one-goal game from the high slot eight seconds later.

Drysdale gave Philadelphia the lead midway through the second. Zegras skated behind the net and found the defenseman in the faceoff circle. Denver Barkey also assisted on the goal and further helped by screening Skinner.

Less than seven minutes later, Malkin provided the equalizer as the Penguins applied pressure in the attack zone. Vladar stopped Rakell but allowed a long rebound to his right that Novak tapped to the 39-year-old, who scored from the faceoff circle with 4:09 left in the period.

Sanheim reclaimed the lead for Philadelphia at the midway point of the third.

Pittsburgh’s 17 shots on goal were its fewest in a postseason game since the Penguins mustered just 12 in Game 5 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final against the Nashville Predators.

–Field Level Media

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