Sports
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.
Sports
Bubba Chandler shines as Pirates snap Rays' six-game streak
Apr 17, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bubba Chandler (36) delivers a pitch to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images Bubba Chandler allowed one run over six innings and the host Pittsburgh Pirates totaled 11 hits to secure a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.
Chandler (1-1) struck out three, allowed three hits and walked one while throwing 90 pitches in his first career start against the Rays, who had a six-game winning streak snapped.
Marcell Ozuna, Spencer Horwitz and Brandon Lowe each had three hits to lead the Pirates. Lowe had two doubles and two RBIs against his former team. Ozuna continued to break out of a slump with his eighth hit in his past 20 at-bats after starting the season with a 2-for-39 stretch.
After Chandler limited Tampa Bay to one hit over his first 5 2/3 innings, Junior Caminero drove in the Rays’ lone run in the top of the sixth with a game-tying, two-out single.
Oneil Cruz broke the tie with two outs in the bottom of that inning when he smacked a two-run home run off Rays reliever Griffin Jax over the right field fence.
Horwitz’s second-inning double scored Ozuna to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead.
Chandler retired 10 in a row until Chandler Simpson’s two-out single on a high chopper that went off Chandler’s glove and allowed him to beat the throw to first. Simpson reached second on a wild pitch and then scored on Caminero’s single.
Rays starter Nick Martinez (0-1) threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts. He was lifted in the sixth after allowing a leadoff single to Horwitz and inducing a fielder’s choice from Konnor Griffin. After stealing second, Griffin advanced to third on a wild pitch by Jax. Cruz then delivered his sixth homer of the season.
The Rays had two runners on base in the ninth after a double by Yandy Diaz and after Ben Williamson drew a walk from Pirates closer Dennis Santana. But Santana induced a game-ending popup in foul ground by Cedric Mullins.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ramos powers Giants past host Nationals
Apr 17, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Francisco Giants infielder Luis Arraez (L) and Giants center fielder Drew Gilbert (R) walk back to the dugout after scoring runs on a two run single by Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (not pictured) against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Heliot Ramos hit a three-run home run, Drew Gilbert and Casey Schmitt added solo shots and the San Francisco Giants beat the Nationals 10-5 in Washington on Friday night.
Matt Chapman had three hits and drove in three runs for the Giants, who have won two in row.
Logan Webb (2-2) went six innings for the win, allowing four runs on seven hits.
After scoring three runs or less in five straight games, the Giants jumped in front with a six-run second inning.
James Wood and Daylen Lile homered, and Jose Tena had three hits for the Nationals.
Washington’s Zack Littell (0-2) gave up eight runs on 11 hits over four innings.
Schmitt and Jung Hoo Lee opened the second inning with singles and Ramos followed with his first homer of the season, a three-run shot to center, to make it 3-0.
After Daniel Susac singled and was thrown out attempting to steal, Gilbert walked and Willy Adames singled. Littell retired Luis Arraez on a groundout as both runners advanced, and Champman lined a single to left center to make it 5-0. Rafael Devers doubled over the head of Wood in right and the lead was 6-0.
The Nationals got one back in the third. Tena singled and went to third on a single by Keibert Ruiz. Wood struck out, but Brady House grounded into a fielder’s choice and Tena scored.
Gilbert homered leading off the fourth to make it 7-1. Adames doubled and went to third on a ground out. With the infield in, Chapman singled between short and third to increase the lead to 8-1.
Joey Wiemer singled leading off the bottom half and Lile homered to center to pull Washington within 8-3.
Lile walked with one out in the sixth and scored on a two-out single by Tena.
Schmitt homered in the seventh to make it 9-4, but Wood answered in the bottom half to make it 9-5.
Ramos walked with the bases loaded in the ninth to push the lead to 10-5.
Luis Arraez had two singles and has hit safely in each of his 12 career games at Nationals Park.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ryan McMahon the unlikely hero as Yankees edge Royals
Apr 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) runs out a ground ball and is safe on a fielding error by the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Ryan McMahon hit a tiebreaking two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees earned a 4-2 victory over the visiting Kansas City Royals on Friday night.
After not starting the game, McMahon entered at third base for Amed Rosario. Ben Rice kept the inning going with a two-out single, and McMahon snapped a 2-2 tie by sending a 2-1 changeup from Alex Lange (0-1) into the left field seats. McMahon’s homer sent left fielder Starling Marte back, but the wind appeared to carry it over the fence.
It was McMahon’s sixth hit in 43 at-bats this season — his first extra-base hit — and it occurred after manager Aaron Boone said the left-handed hitting McMahon was working on some things with his swing behind the scenes.
The Yankees have won five games in their final at-bat this year, which are their five most recent victories. McMahon drew a walk on Monday when Jose Caballero scored on a wild pitch by Jordan Romano in an 11-10 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
McMahon delivered his clutch homer after Camilo Doval (1-0) allowed a tying homer down the right field line by Vinnie Pasquantino. Doval quickly got the final out and David Bednar notched his sixth save.
Rice hit a two-run homer in the fourth off Michael Wacha as the Yankees did enough with five hits to win for just the third time in their past 10 games.
Before Doval faltered, New York’s Cam Schlittler allowed an unearned run on three hits in six-plus innings. The right-hander struck out six and walked two while throwing mostly four-seam fastballs, sinkers and cutters among his season-high 93 pitches.
Schlittler pitched around a dropped fly ball by center fielder Trent Grisham in the sixth.
With one out and Maikel Garcia on first, Bobby Witt Jr. hit a fly to the warning track in center field in front of the New York bullpen. As Grisham settled under it, the ball caromed off his glove for a two-base error and Garcia advanced to third.
After allowing Pasquantino’s RBI grounder, Schlittler struck out Salvador Perez to end the sixth.
The Royals lost for the fifth game in a row and the eighth time in 10 games. Nine of those games have been decided by two runs or fewer.
Wacha allowed two runs on three hits in six innings. The right-hander struck out six and walked three.
–Field Level Media
