The Las Vegas Raiders have qualified for the playoffs in an absolute thriller against the Los Angeles Chargers – not only knocking the team from California out of the NFL finals, but also helping the Pittsburgh Steelers with the win, who are now also qualified for the playoffs. Crazy NFL.

Munich/Las Vegas – What an unbelievable thriller! The Las Vegas Raiders beat the Los Angeles Chargers at the end of the regular season in Week 18 in a direct duel for the last playoff spot in the AFC with 35:32 after overtime and thus move into the NFL finals.

But that’s not all: with the last-second home win against the Chargers, the Raiders also helped the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are also qualified for the playoffs after their surprising 16-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens and the now simultaneous Chargers loss – a tie between the Raiders and the Chargers would have eliminated the Steelers and put Las Vegas and Los Angeles in the NFL finals. A scenario that was just two seconds away. Crazy NFL.

Field goal sends Raiders rejoicing

In the end, it was Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson who kicked the egg through the uprights from 47 yards with two seconds left in overtime at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for the all-important field goal and a much-celebrated 35-32 victory for the Pirates.

In the previous four quarters, both teams gave each other nothing, fought for every inch on the turf and thus probably wanted to show from the beginning that neither team was going for the draw feared especially by Steelers fans, which would have benefited both the Raiders and the Chargers.

Chargers comeback with no return

Los Angeles trailed by as much as 14-29 at one point, but came back led by a strong showing from Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert – who completed 34 of his 64 attempts on the night for a total of 383 yards, three touchdowns and one interception – to force the Raiders into overtime with the score 29-29.

In overtime, both teams hit field goals and when everything looked like a draw, Raiders kicker Carlsen stepped into the spotlight seconds before the end and made both his team and the Steelers happy. The Chargers, on the other hand, are in the valley of tears.

The Raiders now head to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card playoffs and the Steelers have to travel to the Kansas City Chiefs