Baker Mayfield’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Van Jefferson with 10 seconds left Thursday night capped an improbable comeback by the Los Angeles Rams as they stunned the Las Vegas Raiders 17-16 in Inglewood, Calif.
Mayfield, who was picked up off the waiver wire from the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday, completed 5 of 6 passes for 80 yards on the final drive. Los Angeles (4-9) went 98 yards in eight plays with the help of two Las Vegas penalties.
Mayfield replaced starter John Wolford on the Rams’ second possession and completed 22 of 35 passes for 230 yards as they ended a six-game losing streak. Mayfield led a 75-yard scoring drive earlier in the fourth quarter that Cam Akers capped with a 1-yard touchdown run at the 3:19 mark, pulling Los Angeles within 16-10.
The Raiders (5-8) ended their last, desperate chance with Derek Carr’s second interception of the game. Taylor Rapp picked him off near midfield with two seconds remaining.
Las Vegas led almost the entire game, scoring on its first three possessions and taking a 13-3 lead to halftime. When Daniel Carlson converted a 36-yard field goal with 12:20 left in the game, the Raiders owned a seemingly insurmountable 16-3 cushion.
NFL rushing leader Josh Jacobs, who grinded out 99 yards on 27 carries, initiated scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run on the game’s first drive. Carlson bombed a 52-yard field goal to make it 10-0 before Matt Gay hit from 55 with six seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Carlson’s 31-yard field goal at the 9:40 mark of the second quarter gave the Raiders a two-score lead. They threatened to score again when they reached the Rams’ 10 in the last minute of the half, but Carr forced a pass over the middle that Ernest Jones intercepted in the end zone.
Carr was 11 of 20 for 137 yards as Las Vegas saw its three-game winning streak end.
–Field Level Media