What a wonderful story was told in this game! In a big comeback, the Los Angeles Rams beat the Las Vegas Raiders 17-16 at SoFi Stadium. This Thursday Night Football is the opening of week 14 of the National Football League (NFL).
The whole game looked like the Raiders would win, but with two drives in the last quarter, quarterback Baker Mayfield got a victory 48 hours after being signed by the Rams. Now, Los Angeles has four wins and nine losses and is bottom of the NFC West division. Las Vegas, which had been in good shape with three straight wins, is third in the AFC West with five wins and eight losses and a very difficult situation for the playoffs.
With several embezzlements, the Los Angeles Rams announced that quarterback John Wolford would be the team’s starter. However, soon Baker Mayfield, hired Tuesday, took the post and commanded an incredible comeback. With 22 completions of 35 attempts for 230 yards and a touchdown, he got the victory in the last few seconds. The team’s running game didn’t work, with only 71 yards. However, the receivers contributed well in the air with 211 total passing yards.
Wolford was the third player to start a game at quarterback and not attempt a pass.
Las Vegas Raiders came packed after victories and were already making accounts for the playoffs, but with the defeat the chances drop dramatically. Quarterback Derek Carr did not perform well with 11 completions of 20 attempts and two interceptions. Running back Josh Jacobs, who played part-time with an injured finger, had 99 rushing yards on 27 attempts and added 15 yards on two catches. Receiver Davante Adams had three receptions for 71 yards.
With such a low score, the defenses worked well. Highlights for Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Maxx Crosby, who had a sack and pressured Baker Mayfield throughout the game. For the Rams, linebacker Bobby Wagner had 14 total tackles and reached 11 straight seasons passing 100 tackles and assists.
The game started with the Raiders scoring early on the drive with Josh Jacobs running from the one-yard line. John Wolford led the Rams’ opening drive and was unsuccessful, having just three plays and being forced to return the ball. In another good campaign led by Derek Carr, Las Vegas kicker Daniel Carlson hit a 52-yard attempt and left the score at 10-0. With Baker Mayfield on the field, Los Angeles took the ball to kicker Matt Gay try from 55 yards and hit.
In the second quarter, the Raiders’ new campaign ended in a field goal by Carlson, this time from 31 yards. After that, one more campaign for each team before the break. The Rams’ match ended in a fumble by running back Cam Akers on the 30-yard line. the steal of the ball was forced and recovered by defensive lineman Chandler Jones. In the following campaign, from Las Vegas, Derek Carr was intercepted by linebacker Ernest Jones inside the endzone. End of the first half with Raiders leading 13-3.
The third quarter of the game is only mentioned for a missed field goal by Matt Gay from 61 yards and the score was unchanged. The last quarter started different from the previous one. On the first possession, the Raiders scored a 36-yard Daniel Carlson field goal. That left just over 12 minutes to end the game. In a nine-minute campaign, the Los Angeles Rams reached the touchdown after achieving a fourth-down conversion at the one-yard line. Cam Akers completed the job and raced to the back of the field, making the score 16-10 with three minutes left.
The Las Vegas Raiders couldn’t get a first down and the ball bounced back to the Rams at the 2-yard line. With no time to ask and with just over a minute and a half to go, Baker Mayfield commanded a 98-yard drive to turn the game around. Receiver Van Jefferson caught a 23-yard pass in the endzone to take the lead with 10 seconds left.
Derek Carr even attempted a pass and it was intercepted by safety Taylor Rapp. The Rams secured the victory, which had not come since week six, and wrote a curious history in the league.
